Yesterday
by Rahh Gumba Foo
Summary: Ever since Edgeworth quit prosecuting, he has managed to avoid Wright, Gumshoe, and Von Karma completely. But after a surprise phone call, Edgeworth gets sucked back into the world he thought he had left behind...
1. Chapter 1

Tell me how you like this. I've already finished the whole story... I think the ending is pretty good, but I won't torture you all by updating this if you hate it, haha.

Told from Edgey's POV.

BY THE WAY: I _know_ that this story doesn't really fit in with the real Phoenix Wright storyline... I hope that's okay. I tried not to make it too confusing.

* * *

Big, fat raindrops pelted against the window. Someone once said that the sound of rain is soothing-- that it makes one fall asleep. I, personally, find it to be distracting. It was three o'clock in the morning... one of those nights where, as tired as a person is, they just can't seem to fall asleep because of something on their mind. 

That night, something was definitely on my mind. I had seen something earlier that evening that was quite distressing.

I was sitting next to the window at the restaurant near my apartment, enjoying a cup of strong tea. Savoring its flavor, I glanced out the window... and saw two very familiar-looking people, and almost choked mid-swallow.

The man that caught my attention had black, spiked hair and was wearing a royal blue dress shirt with black pants. If I hadn't known better, I would've said it was Phoenix Wright... but, the man's face was too mature to be his. Wright always had this baby-deer-in-headlights look going on, and this man seemed calm and intelligent. Still, the more I looked at the man, the more he looked like Wright.

The man was walking with a beautiful young woman-- with flowing black hair, sparkling eyes and a deep purple dress hanging on her thin body. She resembled Wright's assistant, Maya Fey, so closely... except for the fact that she wasn't bouncing off the walls, and she was a little more normal-looking.

As the couple walked by the window, the woman paused to stare in my direction-- and gave me an unusual look, as if she knew who I was.

Protecting myself from being caught staring at them, I made sure to cover my face with the Business section of the newspaper. As soon as they passed, I lowered the paper to continue my... "investigation" of their identities.

The two were holding hands, and standing awfully close to each other. They had stopped at the corner of the street and were waiting for the crosswalk to say, "Walk!" and flash its pedestrian light. I could get a clear view of the Wright-guy's face... it _had_ to be him, I was positive. The man said something to the woman, and she apparently thought it was funny. She laughed while he scratched the back of his head and smiled shyly-- one of Wright's signature moves. Immediately, I began planning to move to a new city so I'd never have to see them again. But then I saw something that changed my mind--

The man leaned over and murmured a few words in the woman's ear. She smiled, and the next thing I knew, their lips locked for quite some time. The woman's arms wrapped around the man's shoulders, and he held her face so gently, so sweetly-- it was sickening. He would occasionally break away to giggle or whisper something. I noticed that the woman was wearing something that looked like an engagement ring on her left hand...

I came to the conclusion that the couple was NOT, after all, Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey.

... I mean, it _couldn't_ be. I always thought Ms. Fey had a thing for Wright, but I wasn't sure if Wright was capable of expressing his feelings for someone like the man on the street did. He was always kind of a chicken-- public displays of affection never really seemed like his thing.

Even if it _was_ Wright, why was he walking the streets near my house? I made sure to move as far away from him as possible.

But, still...

By the time I stopped staring out the window, my tea had gone cold.

_**BOOM!**_

A deafening clap of thunder brought me back to reality. My bedroom was eerily lit by the full moon. I tried to forget everything I had seen earlier. I refused to believe that I had actually seen Phoenix Wright. More importantly, I refused to believe that I had actually seen Phoenix Wright engaging in a PDA-fest with his assistant Maya Fey.

I thought I had escaped him. I never wanted to see him again. I never wanted to see any of them again. I had given up on prosecuting four years ago, and I had no intention of ever going back to it.

I pulled the comforter up to my ears, but I was still freezing. It was four o'clock in the morning at that point, and I had pretty much given up on sleeping. I crawled out of bed and tried to find my way to the bathroom.

Upon entering the bathroom, and glancing into the mirror, I realized something-- in the last four years, I had aged so much. The dark circles that surrounded my eyes were permanent. A few gray hairs were distributed evenly throughout my brown hair. I looked worn out, and I wasn't even 35 yet.

Yet another reason to avoid seeing Phoenix Wright ever again. It'd be humiliating if he saw me looking so _old_. That man on the street didn't look old at all-- yes, he looked mature, but his eyes still had the look of an eager twentysomething.

I turned on the sink and took out my toothbrush. There was nothing better to do, and I had to keep my mind off Wright _somehow_.

_One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand..._

I began counting to sixty in my head, brushing every tooth until it was clean.

_Twelve one-thousand, thirteen one-thousand, four--_

_**RING! RING!**_

It was my phone. Who in God's name was calling at 4 in the morning!? I spit out the toothpaste as quickly as I could. I stumbled across my room, and clumsily grabbed my cell phone--

I was too late. The person had already left a message. The call was from an unfamiliar number. I quickly typed in my four-digit password to hear what this person had to say.

"Hello," a female voice stated professionally. "Is this Miles Edgeworth? I apologize for bothering you at such an hour, but it's eleven in the morning in Germany, and I don't have time to wait until a more convenient hour to call. My plane leaves in half an hour. I would like you to meet me outside your apartment, tonight at seven o'clock. We really do need to catch up on... a few things. Don't be late." The woman paused before adding one final note; "This is a direct order from me, Franziska Von Karma."

_What the--?!_

I thought I had cut off all contact from her. From all of _them_. First seeing Phoenix and Maya, now a phone call from Franziska... something unusual was going on-- something that I did NOT want to get myself sucked into...

Was I really going to meet the woman I swore never to see again?

The next three hours are a blur. I believe I might've passed out from exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for reviewing, everybody!

This is one of those chapters that kinda gives you a little more background on what's going on in the story. Nothing dramatic. Sorry-- but I promise there will be TONS of fun in the next chapter! I'll update as soon as I can. My internet hasn't been working that well lately.

* * *

I opened my eyes and was immediately blinded by the bright sun sitting outside my window. I woke up on my bedroom floor, next to my cell phone, which I never got around to turning off after listening to Franziska's message. Was the previous night a dream-- or, more appropriately, a nightmare? I reluctantly got up and examined my room... the sink was still running. I never finished brushing my teeth. I looked at the clock: it was 7:00 AM. I ran to turn off the sink, pausing to look in the mirror again. 

I was greeted by my usual irritated expression.

I quickly turned off the bathroom light. I didn't have time to gawk at myself that day. I _knew_ something was up when I saw Phoenix, or at least a guy that looked exactly like him, out the window the night before. I needed to get out of the apartment and further examine the situation.

I threw on a jacket and some pants in a hurry. I ran my fingers through my hair instead of brushing it. I never bothered to look presentable anymore. Anyway, if I was right about Phoenix and Maya, I didn't want to be recognized.

_Hopefully they won't recognize me if I look dishevelled enough._..

With that final thought, I grabbed my key, shoved it into my pocket, and dashed down the stairs of the apartment complex.

I was greeted by a cold blast of wind as I walked out the door. Something about autumn weather makes me nostalgic. I don't know if it's the changing colors, or the crisp air, or the fact that holiday season is just around the corner-- but I always seem to be doing a lot of reminiscing during October and November.

That day, November 19th, was no different. As I walked along the street to the nearby restaurant, I tried to remember a time in my life when I _wasn't_ hiding from someone or something.

No such time ever came to mind. I had been hiding my whole life.

I hid from the truth about my father... I hid from the law when I forged evidence... and now, I was hiding from Phoenix Wright.

I wasn't planning on changing that, either. If I never saw Wright again, I'd be happy.

An annoying bell jingled as I opened the door to the diner. The usual waitress smiled at me-- I sighed, disappointed in myself for having become a "regular" at that cheap excuse for a restaurant. I flashed her a nod of acknowledgement and sat down in my usual booth-- one of the booths that only has room for two people. I never brought a second person with me to breakfast-- but the idea of sitting on a stool in the front, next to a bunch of other people who have no one to eat with, just seemed so... depressing.

The waitress walked over. "Good morning, Mr. Edgeworth! You want the usual?"

"Er..." I was barely awake, and I hadn't listened to a word she said, other than the word 'usual'. It rang in my head. I realized how 'usual' I had become; I wondered about the various ways that I could apply the word to my life. Keeping with this theme, I replied groggily, "I want the _usual_."

The woman gave me a weird look. "Didn't I just say that?" she asked.

I paused, and laughed at myself awkwardly, "Heh... oh, I guess you did. Sorry, but--"

"No need to apologize, Mr. Edgeworth," she grinned. "I've seen men with worse hangovers than you. I'll just get you a tea."

She walked away before I could say anything. I was going to argue, and mention that I hadn't been extremely drunk since my twenty-first birthday, but all I could say was a meek "okay".

The bell hanging from the front door jingled, and I instinctively looked up. I made eye contact with the person who walked in--

"MR. EDGEWORTH?!" The guy yelled in astonishment.

Panicking, I tried to pretend like I didn't know who he was, but he was already lumbering over to the table.

"I was going to sit over there, with all those other people who have nobody to eat with, but... GOD! Is that really you, Mr. Edgeworth?! You look a little... well, not yourself," the man said as he sat down, referring to my no-frills shirt.

Sitting across from me was a bulky, scruffy guy in his mid-late thirties-- Dick Gumshoe. He wore a beat-up trench coat and always looked like he was exhausted. I was in shock. Just another person that I thought I would never have to talk to again...

"Actually, I'm more 'myself' now than I was when you knew me," I replied as calmly as I could. "The frills were a little too stuffy."

"Oh."

The situation was extremely awkward. Luckily, the waitress returned with my tea to break the silence-- and was surprised to see someone else sitting with me. She looked at the man, and asked, "Um... can I get you anything?"

"I'll have a coffee, with extra milk... let's see, wheat toast-- with grape jelly, please... oh, and make sure the toast is crunchy, I really like when it's dark, um... hash browns, and an egg sunny-side up," he replied.

_I hope you have the money to pay for that, Dick_, I thought to myself as his order dragged on. The waitress nodded her head and walked away.

The man across the table was staring at me with his _usual_ puppy-dog eyes, waiting for me to say something. I finally spoke up. "Gumshoe, what the hell are you doing here?" I questioned abruptly. I wasn't even going to try to be polite.

He flinched, and pouted, "Well, I was hungry, pal... can't a guy get something to eat?" He was still the same as ever.

"Ugh... not that. I meant why you're _here_, in Chicago."

"Oh! Well, I'm here with Mr. Wright. He just moved in a couple blocks away, and is looking for a place to--"

My teeth were grinding. I thought I was going to have to get up from the table and slam my fist into a wall. "Phoenix Wright... moved... _HERE_?!"

Gumshoe replied, more relaxed than ever, "Yeah. He wanted to move into the city, where he can defend more clients."

My cheeks were turning an angry red, but I couldn't start screaming in the middle of the restaurant. "That's... just... _wonderful_," I said as calmly as I could, sarcasm seeping through my clenched teeth.

Either Gumshoe didn't realize how angry I was, or he was just trying to avoid conflict-- either way, he was getting on my last nerve. "It really is! I thought I was never going to see you again..." he mumbled sadly.

"Yeah, me either." I replied. What Gumshoe didn't know was that I was _happy_ with the fact that I would never have to see him again...

"So, what have you been up to, pal? Have a new job?"

"Not really. I write occasionally."

"Miles Edgeworth, a writer?" Gumshoe gasped. "I never woulda guessed it!"

I cleared my throat. I hated talking about that subject. What's so surprising about me having a creative side?

Gumshoe gave me a solemn look, and asked quietly, "Have you heard from Franziska yet?"

That question took me by surprise. I looked at him suspiciously, and replied, "She called me at four o'clock this morning... and how do _you_ know that she was trying to reach me?"

"She's been telling me about this... plan of hers, for months. She wants you to help her get revenge on Phoenix Wright. I was supposed to be on the lookout for you today. Heh, I didn't know I'd end up finding you _here_, though!"

"What?!" I exclaimed, angrily. I was not about to get sucked into her _usual_ petty ways like I had before. "I'm trying to _forget_ about Wright. I have no reason to seek revenge against him."

"According to her, you do. That's why she wants to meet you... to tell you why you should want revenge against him. I don't know what she's talking about, but apparently, Mr. Wright did something pretty bad--"

"What the hell!?" I growled a little too loudly. "Why can't you all just _forget about me_?! I don't want anything to do with you!"

The waitress returned with our food. She gave me the most peculiar look as she set down our plates, and said, "Um, excuse me, Mr. Edgeworth... Could you keep it down? Thanks..."

Gumshoe looked confused, hurt, and embarrassed all at the same time. My face turned pink as I realized that every person nearby was staring. "Sorry," I replied to our waitress as she left. Bringing unwanted attention to myself is my least favorite thing to do.

I rubbed my temples, hoping that my headache would disappear. Gumshoe ate his meal in silence, as did I. He occasionally looked at me, and whimpered a little bit when I looked at him as if to say, _what do you want?_

Once the detective cleared his plate, he dug a five-dollar bill out of his pocket and laid it on the table. He stood up and said glumly, "That's for breakfast. Good luck with Franziska. I guess I'll see you around...?" He started to walk away.

I had to find out about Wright... I couldn't let the guy leave, as much as I wanted to.

"Aren't you going to wait for me?" I asked, shoving one last piece of bacon into my mouth quickly.

Gumshoe's eyes lit up immediately, like a dog begging to be loved again by his owner. "You really want me to?"

"Of course," I answered. "How else am I supposed to find out what's been going on for the past four years?"

---

I was shivering as I exited the diner and walked down the street with Gumshoe. The temperature must've been in the 20s.

"Sorry for getting angry," I began. I'm not used to apologizing, so it was a little uncomfortable. "It's just that, when I moved, I thought I was leaving my past behind..."

Gumshoe didn't say anything.

"And then I see Phoenix and Maya out the window, and then I find out I'm going to meet Franziska Von Karma later on tonight, and now I'm walking along the street with _you_. As much as I wanted to, I guess I could never really escape you guys."

Gumshoe was quick to forgive and forget. "It's okay, pal! I figured you'd be kinda mad when I told you about Wright... wait a minute! You saw him already? And Maya Fey?"

"I saw them, all right... french-kissing at a street corner."

"...That's not surprising. It seems like everytime I turn away, they're holding hands, or kissing each other, or something," Gumshoe speculated. "But I guess it makes sense. Wright was dying to give that engagement ring to Maya for the past year and a half, but only a few months ago did he actually gather up the courage and propose."

"That's pathetic."

"Maybe, but now that they're engaged, they're attached at the hip."

"Or, more appropriately, they're attached at the _lips_?"

"Haha! I missed your witty sense of humor, Mr. Edgeworth," Gumshoe laughed.

I sighed. I wasn't actually trying to be witty, I was just making an observation. "I can't believe they're engaged." I honestly couldn't. "So, this thing about Wright that Franziska wants to tell me... you know nothing about it, correct?"

"Yup."

"Do you think she would lie to me? About Wright?" I looked up at Gumshoe, who was about six inches taller than me.

Gumshoe looked ahead, slightly angrily. "Of course she would! She lies about everything else, pal... every piece of evidence she's shown in court lately has been falsified. Every witness is biased. It's gotten really bad..."

"I left just in time, then." I realized we were getting pretty close to my apartment complex, and started walking a little more slowly.

"Mr. Edgeworth," Gumshoe started hesitantly. "I think she started lying about everything for a _reason_..."

"Really? What reason?"

"Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but I think it was because of... you, pal."

I snarled. "And _why_ would you think that?! I never did anything to her!"

"Well, you never did anything _bad_ to her. But you brought out her good side, or, at least, the best side of her we'll ever see. After you left, she became all... angry... blaming everyone else for her obsession with being perfect-- blaming _you_, actually."

"Why...?"

Gumshoe never answered. We had reached the front door of my complex by then. He asked, "So what's your number?"

"What?"

"Your phone number. So that I can call you later and find out what Franziska said."

"Oh, yeah." I told Gumshoe my number, and he gave me his, and we said a quick goodbye.

I had to clean up the apartment before Franziska showed up.


	3. Chapter 3

Hahaha. I'm not sure whether to love or hate this chapter. Anyway, sorry for the long wait, but school started and my schedule's impossible. And I switched this chapter up a little bit-- it ended differently before. I'll update when I find the time, which will hopefully be soon!

* * *

My living room looked flawless. For once, my bedroom floor was visible. I didn't know why I cleaned my bedroom, anyway... I wasn't planning on letting Franziska see it, but I figured I had better be prepared for anything.

The only other thing I had to do was get dressed. I didn't want to look like I was trying too hard, but I didn't want to look like a slob. I pulled out my old cravat and held it up to my chest, wondering if I should wear it or not. Franziska would surely say something if she thought I looked bad... ugh.

_I can't believe I'm having this conversation with myself._

I put on a dress shirt, tie, and pants. I wasn't going to put on that cravat ever again, even if my live depended on it. I tossed it back in my drawer.

I took out my hair gel and rubbed it inbetween my palms. I hadn't done my hair in so long, it was almost difficult.

After two minutes of perfecting my coiff, I was ready. I had ten minutes until Franziska Von Karma was going to show up.

I couldn't believe that I was actually meeting her. After so much...

I stood outside my apartment, folding my arms around my chest and practicing my 'suave' look, as I waited for the girl to arrive. Leaning against the door, I wondered how the night would end up. I didn't want anything ugly to happen. I didn't exactly need that sort of drama in my life.

Subconsciously, I was expecting something ugly to happen, as it _usually_ did.

Suddenly, I heard someone coming down the hallway. It was the sound of high heels clicking against the ground. Franziska's small, delicate face appeared from the darkness.

I was shocked by what I saw; no-- I was awe-stricken. She had become so... overwhelmingly beautiful, despite the unimpressed expression she was wearing. Her black peacoat matched her black shoes. She was extremely well put-together, as she always had been. I felt under-dressed.

As soon as she spoke, I could tell her personality hadn't changed, either. She said dryly, "Aren't you going to _say_ anything, Miles Edgeworth?"

"F-Franziska Von Karma...!" I hadn't felt so self-conscious in a long time. I was never nervous around Franziska before, but now that she was older... I could tell she was a force to be reckoned with. It was an odd, uncomfortable feeling that was rumbling in the pit of my stomach. I began timidly, "You look lovely, Fran--"

"Hmph," she interrupted me, furrowing her brow as she gave me a once-over. "And you look... well, you certainly are going for a more 'casual' look today," she said sarcastically. She looked at me, and must've realized that I was dumbfounded by her presence. She lightened up a little, and said warmly, "Why don't you invite me inside?"

"Er, of course," I tried to sound as collected as possible as I opened my door for her. I wasn't used to being so vulnerable. I had a feeling the night wasn't going to end well. Franziska stood in the doorway, scanning the living room.

"Not bad... whose house did you have to rob to get the place to look so nice?" I think that was a compliment.

"Nobody! Nobody!"

"So you're selling drugs? How foolish..."

"No! I, erm... I write... for a magazine."

"Huh. Miles Edgeworth, a writer? I never would've guessed it," Franziska stated curiously.

"...I _really_ don't see what's so suprising about that," I muttered, my brow furrowing in annoyance. I figured I shouldn't mention the fact that I had seen Gumshoe, but I added, "You're the second person who has said that."

Franziska thought about what I had said, but shook her head in disagreement. "I brought you a housewarming gift," she mentioned after a moment. She pulled out a gift bag from behind her back.

I opened her gift. To my disappointment, I pulled a bottle of expensive wine from out of the bag.

"Um... thanks," I said as nicely as I could. The truth was that I hadn't had a drink in years, and wasn't planning on changing that.

Franziska gave me a look, as if my thank you weren't enough. She sat down gracefully on the couch, and stared down at her perfectly-manicured nails as she asked, "Well... why don't we open it?"

"S-sure," I said awkwardly. I wasn't going to argue. I grabbed two wine glasses-- two glasses that I didn't even know I owned --from the very back of my cupboard, popped open the bottle, and poured two servings of red wine. It felt like Franziska was analyzing and criticizing every move I made, so I made sure not to spill anything on myself as I carried a glass back to her.

She took her glass from my hand, and said quietly, "Sit down, Miles..."

I twitched. She had never called me _just_ Miles before. It had always been more along the lines of... Mr. Edgeworth, or Miles Edgeworth, or 'fool'...

I sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the room, holding my wine glass and debating with myself whether or not I should take a sip. I didn't want to do anything stupid with Franziska watching me. Or, worse, _with_ Franziska. I _did_ always have a problem with knowing when I'd had enough to drink...

Franziska took a sip of her wine and looked up at me with large eyes. "Aren't you going to drink your wine? I got it for _you_..." After I didn't respond, her face became stern as she quietly demanded, "Drink it."

I couldn't refute that. On cue, I gulped down half of what was in my glass.

"Thank you," Franziska said condescendingly, like a first grade teacher talking to a student, "I thought you might like it." Controlled by her intimidating tone, I took another sip. She continued nonchalantly, "So I bet you're wondering why I'm even here."

"Yeah, actually. What made you want to talk to _me_, of all people?"

"What do you mean, '_of all people_'? It's not like we were never close!"

I slurped down the remaining liquid in my glass. I never remembered wine --or any alcoholic beverage, for that matter-- to be so refreshingly delicious.

"I know, but after what happened before I left--"

"You mean when you told me I was a horrible person, and that you never wanted to see me again?... And when you _threw your briefcase_ at me?" Franziska paused for dramatic effect. I gave her a look of pleading apology, reminding myself of the face that Gumshoe always used to give me. After a moment, she continued in a sultry manner, "I usually don't let trivial arguments get in the way of life-long friendships, Miles."

I laughed half-heartedly, quickly pouring myself another glass of wine. I was creeped out by the way Franziska was acting. She was so... subtly controlling. With every punch she threw, she said something to lure me back in. She had this strange ability where she could push me around, yet manage to sound so inviting while doing so.

Years ago, when I was training with Manfred Von Karma, and even when she was prosecuting in the States, I was drawn to Franziska's cynical personality. But, I was twenty-two, and she was so young-- she was more like a little sister. Now that she was more mature, her mysterious ways were even more enticing.

Then again, I'm sure the wine was making her look all the more alluring.

"...I found out some troubling information about Mr. Phoenix Wright. I thought you might want to know; that's why I called you-- so that we could discuss it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? So what is this 'troubling information'?"

Franziska grabbed the wine bottle from the table and poured herself another glass. "I hope you don't mind," she apologized, although I didn't really have time to stop her from having more. She held up the bottle, and asked, "Won't you have another glass? I'd feel more... comfortable, if you did."

I cleared my throat and helped myself to a third serving of wine. I was fully disgusted with myself.

"Do you really want to know what happened?" Franziska leaned in, as if somebody from outside the apartment might hear her talking.

"Of course!" I was inhaling the wine like I had just come back from the desert, and was dying of thirst. I barely wanted to stop for a moment to answer her question.

In my mind, I repeated what Gumshoe had warned me earlier that day-- _"She lies about everything, pal..."_

But, as much as I tried to listen attentively as Franziska spoke, my thoughts were fixated on the drink in my hand.

"Almost immediately after you left town, Mr. Wright came to me with something quite strange... he 'found' a note that you had allegedly written. In the note, 'you' revealed all of your secrets-- that you forged countless pieces of evidence, that you bribed witnesses, and that you--"

I stated abruptly, inbetween sips, "I never wrote such a note."

Franziska frowned. "Do you realize what that means?"

"Somebody forged a letter, pretending they were me," I replied slowly. I had to think harder than usual, due to my slightly impaired state of mind. I noticed that Franziska had already finished her glass. "So... who did it?"

"Miles, you _really_ don't know who did it?" she laughed. "I'll give you a hint, it's the person who found the letter..."

"PHOENIX WRIGHT!" we both exclaimed simultaneously.

Once it had actually registered in my mind that Phoenix Wright was possibly the person who wrote the letter (and that was almost a minute after I had exclaimed his name), I yelled, "Why would he do _that_!?"

Franziska smiled in amusement at my slow thinking. She grabbed my wine glass from out of my hand, and poured me what was left of the wine. The situation was gradually transforming into a disaster. I realized, at the time, that she was purposely trying to get me a little tipsy, but I was enjoying the wine too much to stop drinking. I wasn't that gone... yet. I got up from my chair and leaned against the wall.

Franziska continued, "You know what Mr. Wright told me after he found the note? He said he was going to release it into the public, so it could be seen by everyone. He was going to turn you into a villain, and he hoped that when you returned to prosecuting again, you would be shunned."

"Why... why the _HELL_ would he want that...? What did I do...?" I protested.

"You left town. Mr. Wright felt betrayed," Franziska answered blatantly, reaching for the wine bottle and re-filling her glass. She stood up and walked over to me, standing several feet away. I looked up.

She glanced down at the floor and smiled to herself, in an almost sinister manner. She then looked me in the eyes, saying innocently, "You know, Miles, I can't say I blame him..."

I had finished my fourth glass of wine, making her flirtatious way of speaking sound even more irresistible. I stepped towards her, mumbling, "What...?"

"Miles Edgeworth, star prosecutor, and a family friend of the Von Karmas... you were a brother to me. But you left me," Franziska whimpered quietly, following my lead and drawing closer to me. I didn't know whether to object (heh), or go along with her charade. She stared at me with the biggest eyes I'd ever seen. "I'm sure Mr. Wright would say something along those lines, as well. He just wanted revenge for being left behind. Still, I'm going to need your help if you want me to stop him from releasing that note..."

I stepped back a few inches, but realized that I was practically up against the wall. Franziska was obviously up to something-- even I, who had just downed four large glasses of alcohol, could see that. She realized I had backed away from her, and moved in even closer to me, playfully grabbing my tie and giving me a mischevious glare. I stopped breathing for a moment, not sure what her next move was going to be.

Franziska looked down at the strip of silk that lay in her hands, then up at me. She let go of the tie, and I took a deep breath of relief. Seconds later, though, she grabbed me in a different spot-- by the collar. I jumped.

Giggling to herself, she loosened my tie, taking as much time to do it as possible. I bit my lip and ceased breathing once more-- the looser the tie was, the more choked I felt. I never liked anyone touching me, and the fact that the person in this case was Franziska Von Karma made things even more uncomfortable. Once Franziska was satisfied with the way the tie hung around my neck, she unbuttoned the top button on my shirt, running a finger down my chest as she did so.

Even though my mind was working a little slower than it normally did, I could tell that she was purposely playing the Sympathy-And-Sex-Appeal card. At that point, I wasn't sure if it was all a part of her act, or if her actions were a result of the wine she had just drank. I prayed to God it wasn't the latter.

I had not taken a full breath in almost a minute. I thought I was going to pass out. Finally, as she let go of me for the second time, I sighed.

"There," Franziska declared in triumph, "You looked a little uptight. I had to do something about it."

I squeaked out a laugh, making a move for the couch. She followed me, stumbling a little as she turned around. I turned away from her and cleared my throat. I didn't want to look into Franziska's eyes again-- I was starting to cave in.

"Miles?" she asked, gently placing a hand on my leg and causing me to flinch violently.

"What... do you think you're doing?" I turned around.

Franziska ignored my question. "So... about Mr. Phoenix Wright..."

"Yeah, about him..." I interrupted her. "I'm not sure if he was the one who wrote that note, ya know...?"

"Fool! Who _else_ would do such a thing?" Franziska grunted. "I know it's hard to believe, but..."

"You could be lying to me, too..."

I looked up. Franziska's mouth hung open, and a look of hurt glistened in her eyes. Or maybe it was just the fact that her eyes were a little hazy from the wine. "_Me?_ Lie to _you_? Let me tell you something, Miles Edgeworth..."

She inched closer, until our knees were touching. I gulped.

For a woman that had just drank three glasses of wine, Franziska still spoke semi-eloquently. "I've known you for a long time, and I don't take our relationship lightly; although, lately, we've been having a falling-out... I digress. I don't think it would make sense if I lied to somebody I truly cared about. Do _you_?"

"No, I... I guess not..." I mumbled. Franziska was practically on top of me by then... and I was starting to _enjoy_ it.

_The alcohol's starting to set in._ With that thought, I was nervous again.

"Then it's settled that Mr. Wright wrote the note. _Right_, Miles?" she said a little more forcefully. She rested her head against my chest, which was pounding rapidly. I desperately wanted Franziska to leave, but there was no chance of that happening-- I couldn't send her home drunk. Things were definitely taking a turn for the worse.

"Now, won't you help me... stop him?" She asked, tracing a circle around my chest with her index finger.

I gently pushed Franziska off my lap and stood up, brushing myself off. All I could say was, "Uhhh."

She sat up and hiccupped, "Miles... you're cute when you're nervous!"

_Did that just come out of Franziska's mouth?_

"Yeah...? Well," I sat back down. When in Rome (and when you can use alcohol as an excuse)... "Calling you 'cute' would be an understatement."

Franziska leaned in. By then, I really wasn't sure what I was doing; I simply went along with it.

Until she started kissing me. Once I felt her lips against mine, I was brought back to almost-reality. I turned my head quickly.

"Miles, haven't you ever kissed a girl before? Because that's _not_ how you do it..." Franziska grabbed my face and tried to kiss me again before I could reply.

_This is NOT happening. This can't be happening._

I didn't invite Ms. Von Karma over so that I could get drunk with her... and yet, I couldn't stop myself from kissing back.

Once Franziska started unbuttoning the rest of my shirt, I knew my predictions about the night being disastrous were absolutely correct.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay. Sorry for the long wait, y'all who are still reading this! I'm trying to update every week and a half, but school is literally taking away every minute of my spare time.

Tell me what you think; I'm excited to get the next chapter out to you guys!

* * *

My temples were throbbing in pain.

I lay in bed, and my mind was wide awake, but I didn't dare open my eyes. I was too afraid that a certain someone (a someone named Franziska Von Karma) would be lying next to me.

There's always a depressing feeling that accompanies one night stands... even though you wake up next to someone, it ultimately makes you feel more _alone_ knowing that you'll probably never talk to that person again without getting an awkward feeling in your gut. I didn't need a reminder of what happened the night before. It was all a mistake, and although it was wonderful while it lasted, I was sober by the time I woke up-- so, at that point, I realized how unfortunate of a situation I was in. The memory, although it was slightly blurry due to the alcohol, was still playing over and over in the back of my brain.

The drinks, the initial first kiss, the laughing, the ensuing kisses, the awkward pause on the way to the bedroom, and finally, the removal of clothing...

I shuddered, and accidentally opened my eyes to rid myself of the image that was streaming in my mind.

Holding my breath in fear, I looked around my bedroom, praying that I wouldn't see...

_Damn it._

Franziska, wearing nothing but her slip, stood in the doorway of the room.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up, Miles," she said matter-of-factly.

"Why are you still here?" I asked groggily. _Very polite, Miles Edgeworth._

"Why _wouldn't_ I still be here? It would be rude to leave without saying goodbye. Especially after you were so... _hospitable_, to me," she smirked.

"I'm not sure," I began, getting up from my bed, "if 'hospitable' is the right word to use." Well, this was certainly awkward. I paused, and figured the conversation was over. "Thanks for waiting for me, though. It was a nice time. Goodbye."

I looked down at myself-- I was wearing only my boxers, even though outside my window, it was snowing. I shivered, and quickly found a shirt from off the floor to put on.

"...A 'nice time'? Pfft. I'm not leaving yet, you... fool. I'm not dressed," Franziska declared, walking out of my sight. She called from the other room, "So, you're going to keep your end of the deal, aren't you?"

"...What deal?"

"The _deal_ that I wrote up last night-- concerning Mr. Wright. You said you would help me stop him from ever beating me again-- _I mean_, from ruining your reputation. You signed it. Don't you remember?"

"Uhm." God, how many _other_ things did I do the previous night that I didn't remember? The situation kept getting worse and worse...

Franziska came back into the room, buttoning her shirt. She handed me a piece of paper.

_I, Miles Edgeworth, agree to seek vengeance against Mr. Phoenix Wright, along with Franziska Von Karma..._

I almost had to laugh-- the contract was so poorly written. I could definitely tell that Franziska was a little drunk when writing it. There was a short paragraph following that first line, indicating how I would "seek vengeance".

My signature was at the bottom of the page. There was no doubt about it, that was my writing. I cringed. "I wasn't exactly thinking straight when I signed this... and neither were you. Can we just forget about it?"

"No."

"What?!"

"Why would you want to forget about it? Sure, you didn't know what you were _doing_ when you signed-- but you really should stand up for yourself and get Mr. Wright back for what he's done."

"In all honesty, I don't care if Wright ruins my reputation as an attorney. I'm _never_ going back to prosecuting. I don't _need_ a good reputation."

"Hmph," Franziska pouted, but I could tell she wasn't done speaking. She was fully dressed by now, yet she still looked a little disheveled. She turned to face me, and gave me the fiercest look I'd ever seen. "You _do_ realize that I have something on you, don't you?"

I paused. I wasn't really sure what she was talking about.

"Let's just say that you were to... _NOT_ help me get rid of Mr. Wright."

"Okay...?"

"I wouldn't be very happy if you broke your contract with me. Do you know what I plan on doing, if such a situation arises?"

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, Wright-style. "No. What?"

Franziska laughed at me, as if I were the biggest idiot in the world. "Being slightly drunk wasn't the _only_ reason I slept with you last night. I planned on doing that the moment I entered your apartment."

I grimaced. The situation was going downhill faster than I could keep track.

"Just in case you didn't follow through with our little contract... I had to have a back-up plan. Von Karmas are known for being ready for _anything_ to happen, you know."

I didn't like where the conversation was going. I asked tentatively, "So, what are you saying?"

"It'd be a sad thing if people thought that you... _took advantage_ of me, if you know what I mean..." Franziska gave me an innocent-yet-devilish look.

Suddenly, things made sense.

Date rape? There was a reason I told myself I never wanted to see Franziska Von Karma again. That reason being that she is a manipulative, conniving individual who stops at nothing to get what she wants.

"You wouldn't."

Franziska, fully-dressed at that point, said, "I wouldn't say something I didn't mean, Miles." She flashed me a sickeningly evil smile. I'd had enough.

"Get out," I snarled, pushing her out of the doorway and slamming my bedroom door shut. I grabbed Franziska's hand furiously, and she honestly looked frightened as I dragged her to my front door.

She looked at me, and angrily whimpered a bit as I shoved her out of my apartment. I slammed the door in her face mercilessly.

_DAMN IT._

I leaned against the door, still tightly holding onto the doorknob, uttering every single expletive I could think of.

_When did I become such a pushover?_

Emotions that had been bubbling in my brain for the past few days finally boiled over. I was so angry that I had to remind myself to breathe. I gasped for air through my clenched teeth, and made my way to the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, hurriedly ripping off my shirt and boxers. There wasn't anything I could do about the situation at that point. I was hoping a shower would wash away my issues, but it didn't. I was still the _usual_ Miles Edgeworth-- and that _alone_ is a heavy burden to have to constantly carry around.

_I've been used_.

I let that thought bounce around inside my head, as water pulsed against my back. I was being used... to destroy a person I didn't want to destroy --Wright-- because of something --the letter he had written-- that I wasn't even sure he had written. The worst part was that I was being used by someone I planned on abandoning four years ago.

_Hm..._

Four years ago, right around this time of year, I was packing away some of the things in my office...

To be honest, I had just been fired, and I was quite happy about that.

Some bridges had been burned in the process, but I wasn't letting that stop me from feeling relieved.

It was late at night, the weight of my miserable life as Edgeworth-the-Prosecuting-Attorney had just been lifted off my shoulders, and I wasn't expecting anyone to visit... so I started singing to myself.

"And someone's sneaking 'round the corner... could that someone be Mack the Knife?" I sang, as I pushed the papers that were piled up on my desk into the trash. Really, I'm a decent singer.

I heard somebody approaching my door, and immediately silenced myself. I might've blushed a little, wondering if anyone had heard me.

Franziska barged in the door, not even bothering to knock. The atmosphere in the room suddenly went from lighthearted to dark and frightening; my mood suddenly went from optimistic to cynical. It was the same routine that _usually_ went down when Franziska entered a room.

"What are you doing, you _FOOL_!?"

I immediately took on an irritated tone. "Considering I've just been _fired_, I'm packing my things up."

The girl screamed louder than I had ever heard anyone scream, and she cracked her whip so violently that I jumped back-- and I was standing twenty feet away from her. "WHAT!?"

"I'm not sure why you're so _surprised_, considering the fact that you were the one who convinced me to forge the most _crucial_ piece of evidence in the trial--"

"The only reason I did that," Franziska said fiercely, pounding her fist on my desk multiple times and pointing a finger in my face, "was to protect _YOU_ from losing another case! It's not MY fault that you were so foolish as to make the fake evidence incredibly _obvious_! All of my hard work-- for NOTHING!"

I slammed my briefcase shut dramatically. Growling, I whispered intensely, "All of your hard work?"

...I paused, and things started to make sense. "From the beginning... it's been about you. You 'helped' me win a case, but you _knew_ the moment I presented that damn thing that I was going to be fired... so that YOU could take my place in the Chief Prosecutor's Office!"

Franziska, stricken with shock, retorted half-heartedly, "Why, how dare you--!"

"I'd like to ask the same thing!" I began marching out the door.

Desperately, she called after me, "Mr. Edgeworth, I'm not the only one at fault!"

I stopped mid-step.

"I confess, my actions were self-centered. I won't lie about that, but... you aren't innocent either. You, like a foolish fool, believed every word I said along the way! It isn't _my_ fault, completely, that you can't stand up for yourself!"

"Don't even _try_ to convince me of that! All this time, you've been nothing but a lying, selfish _BITCH_!"

"Did you just call me, Franziska Von Karma, a--"

"Yes, I did." In one swift motion, I flung my briefcase towards the girl out of sheer anger. It hit her in the chest, and she fell to the floor. I felt no sympathy. "If we ever cross paths again, I'd run the other way if I were you."

And with that, I slammed the door shut. I never entered my office again. I promised myself never to come in contact with any Von Karma again, either. I didn't bother saying goodbye to Wright or Gumshoe-- I was sure Franziska would do that for me.

...I snapped back to reality as I realized that the hot water coming out of the shower suddenly was freezing cold.

Thinking about that night, I realized something. Franziska was right-- I had always been a pushover; I just camouflaged my sheepishness with cold, distant, and pretentious behavior.

I turned off the shower and dried off. I didn't feel any better than I had half an hour earlier. I heard the phone ringing its _usual_, annoying ringtone. I was getting a lot of calls lately. I grabbed the phone off my dresser and spoke; "Hello?"

"Hey, pal!"

I groaned. Loudly. "Gumshoe."

"Er... is this a bad time?"

"Yes, it is. But I suppose there won't ever be a _good_ time to talk, especially to _you_. So, what is it?"

"That hurt, Mr. Edgeworth," Gumshoe pouted. After a second, he cleared his throat and began as if I had greeted him with open arms, "So, I have something weird to ask you, pal."

"I'm listening."

Gumshoe spoke in gibberish, "Mr.WrightandMayawantyouoverfordinner."

"Huh? ...Gumshoe, I have a massive headache. This better not be a joke--"

"Let me try that again, pal. Mr. Wright and Maya Fey want you over for dinner... um, tomorrow."

Well, that was certainly unexpected... AND unwanted. I paused, not knowing what to say.

"Why...? Don't they have any family? And doesn't Wright think I'm _dead_?"

"I told him that I saw you yesterday, pal. He got all quiet, and after a minute, said that he wanted to invite you over."

"I'm not sure if I _want_ to--"

"It'll only be for a few hours, pal! I'll be there, and you never have to see Mr. Wright again, if you don't want to!"

I searched through my drawer for something to wear. I grumbled, "I really can't think about this right now..."

"...Something wrong, Mr. Edgeworth?"

I didn't say anything for a while. Finally, I spoke up. "Yes, there is something _terribly_ wrong."

"Wait a minute, didn't Franziska visit you last night?"

I laughed cynically, and --still barely awake-- blurted, "...Yeah, she just left this morning."

...There was silence on the other line.

"I mean... DAMN IT."

Gumshoe laughed, "Mr. Edgeworth, you mean--?"

"I'm not having this conversation." I hung up abruptly.

I sunk to the floor miserably, laying inbetween piles of unwashed clothing.

I was really craving some of Franziska's wine.

...And I mean that in the cleanest, most literal way possible.


	5. Chapter 5

This is a pretty short chapter. It's basically just a transition, and if I included it with the next chapter, the next chapter'd be SO long. I'm sorry for the wait... school is eating up my life. Oh, yeah, and Trials and Tribulations is coming out Tuesday, so that'll be eating up my life for a while too.

I hope you guys are liking the story so far... tell me some suggestions and I'll try to fix up the rest of the chapters!

DRAMA will happen in the next chapter. I mean it. Don't say I didn't warn you... and PS, try to find the Beatles lyrics in this chapter. Wow, I'm cool.

* * *

"I'll ask again. You _are_ going to Mr. Wright's, aren't you?"

"I wasn't planning on it."

"You're going. You're going to help me execute my plan..."

"I'm not helping you execute _anything_. I thought I told you never to contact me again."

"Hm, I must've forgotten. Besides, if you want me to keep quiet about, oh, you know..."

"FUCK."

"Yes, that."

The day when I would finally see Wright again had finally come-- November 22nd. Thanksgiving.

_Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be-- there's a shadow hanging over me... oh, yesterday came suddenly..._

In a matter of days, I had become an accomplice. Ironically, it was only a few days earlier that I thought I was starting to get my life back on track. How incredibly wrong I was. As if my past weren't haunting me enough already...

Franziska had me glued to the phone for quite some time that day, explaining in great detail how I was to get all the information I could out of 'Mr. Wright'.

Eventually, I was supposed to get Wright to leave his apartment and go outside. Franziska wanted to "randomly" bump into him. I asked why, but she told me that it was nothing I needed to worry about.

I felt like such a child, one who holds their parent's hand tightly even though they have no idea where they're going.

There had to be more to the story Franziska was telling-- the one about Wright supposedly writing a letter. There's gotta be a better reason... for why Franziska wants revenge so badly.

I desperately needed to find out-- for my own sanity.

So many things were going wrong, all at the same time. I moaned out of sheer desperation and disgust. The tension that was growing inside my stomach was becoming unbearable-- anger, hurt, confusion...

"When did I become so... weak?" I whispered out loud. After a second, I realized that I had actually spoken out loud, and groaned again; on top of being a weakling, I was going insane, apparently.

Feeling vulnerable is a rare occurence when it comes to me, cold-as-ice Miles Edgeworth. Yet, it seemed like I had been weak at the knees all week, ever since the first Wright sighting. I felt like I could trust Gumshoe, and even Franziska... at least, when I was under the influence. What is it about... them, all of them... that makes me feel so trusting, so dependent?

Whatever that reason was, my fate was sealed. I had no choice but to go to Wright's.

I wasn't expecting anything good to come out of the situation-- lately, my days had been anything but lighthearted.

I was shivering as I started walking to Wright's apartment. Snow was falling harder than I'd ever seen-- _unusual_ for Thanksgiving, but in a way, it was comforting. What is it about chilly weather that makes me so... warm inside?

If circumstances weren't so dire, I would've been in an amazing mood. Halfway to Wright's apartment, I had this fluttering, tossing feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't relax. I wasn't ready to face him again, at least... not yet. I had to stall, somehow...

_Greeting cards?_

I stopped walking and peeked inside the window of a card shop-- there were Thanksgiving cards all over the place.

_Who gives out Thanksgiving cards, anyway?_

Without thinking, I entered the store.

I scanned the shelves of greeting cards-- most of them had pictures of turkeys and cornucopias, and 'inspirational' words of thanks strewn across them. There were specific types of cards-- cards for grandmothers, cards for your significant other, cards for friends.

_Huh. _I picked up a random card from the Friends section. There was a cartoon of a corn cob on the front.

_What if I were to get Wright a card?_

I read the card skeptically,

_I hate to sound corny, but I'm really thankful for our friendship! Happy Thanksgiving!_

Shuddering in horror, I shoved the card back where I found it. I picked up another, plainer card.

_Years pass, but true friendships withstand all... A simple "thanks" isn't enough to show my appreciation for everything you've done._

I reflected on that for a moment.

As much as I wanted to, I could never give a card like that to Wright. For God's sake, I hadn't seen the man in years. I imagined the look on Wright's face when he read the card. His mouth would gape open, and he'd raise an eyebrow at me as if I were insane. And then he would ask me to leave.

Yet, the card's simple phrase rang true-- I deeply appreciated everything Wright did for me in the past. He saved my life-- literally. Reluctantly, I placed the card back in its slot.

So much for getting a card. I left the store and kept walking. At least I would be fashionably late.

Still tense, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt my phone vibrating against my leg. I answered as I continued walking-- it was Gumshoe, of course. He wanted to apologize for laughing about my "Franziska spent the night" comment.

"No, _I'm_ the one who should be sorry about that," I muttered, still blushing like a schoolgirl.

"...So was it any good?" Gumshoe asked almost inaudibly.

I paused for nearly a whole minute, wondering if I had heard him correctly. My face was bright red, and finally, I managed to squeak, "What?!"

"... I mean..."

"I'm going to hang up now."

"NO!" Gumshoe shouted hurriedly. "There's something important you gotta know about tonight! It's urgent, pal!"

"You're going to be there, aren't you? Why can't you just tell me later?"

"Because it'd be weird if I told you this while Mr. Wright's around. Just--"

"I'm at the front door. It's gonna have to wait." I spoke quietly so that Wright wouldn't hear me yelling outside his front door.

I lowered my phone and was about to put it away when I heard Gumshoe say faintly, "_Don't let Phoenix leave the apartment!_"

_Well, that's strange._ Disregarding Gumshoe's warning, I shut the phone and slid it into my pocket.

Nervously, I poked at the doorbell. I fidgeted with my tie as I stood at Wright's door. Nothing was more nerve-wracking than the thought of the expression that would spread across Wright's face when he opened the door. Would he be surprised, happy, or ... ready to vomit?

No more than thirty seconds had gone by when the door creaked open. I held my breath a little in anticipation.

I was greeted by a petite, thin woman. With her big, brown eyes and long hair, she was stunningly pretty... so pretty that I felt a little nervous. She was definitely the woman that I saw the other day. She stood there for a moment, staring intently at me.

It was Maya Fey.

"MR. EDGEWORTH!?"

I sighed, and my heart started beating again.

"Come in!"

Before I could make a quick, last-minute run back home, she grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into the living room. I was surprised at how nice the place looked, especially considering the fact that they had only moved in a short while ago. And something smelled absolutely delicious. I just prayed to God there wasn't going to be any wine.

Maya called into the kitchen, "Nick! He's here!"

I heard a plate crash to the ground. Wright, still pathetic as ever, hadn't changed a bit, apparently. He poked his head through the doorway, and grinned when he saw me.

"Edgeworth!"


	6. Chapter 6

I really have nothing to say about this chapter, other than that I'm scared to see your reactions.

Sorry it's been so long. Next chapter will be up soon (Thanksgiving break-- yay!).

* * *

Standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room was a tall, lean, strikingly handsome man. His dark hair was spiked strategically around his head, as it always had been. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up, and his shoes were casual. He was holding a big fork, which was dripping sauce from something I presumed he was cooking.

Somehow, he still managed to look inviting-- and presentable, for that matter. For the first time, Wright ... looked less like a boy, and more like a real _man_.

"Wright...!" I wasn't really sure what to say. Leave it to good ol' Edgeworth to make a situation incredibly awkward. "It's been so long..."

"Too long," Wright corrected me, smiling earnestly. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt for no reason. As if he weren't being endearing enough already, he greeted me with a warm embrace, as if he'd been waiting his whole life to see me. I can't say I was entirely comfortable.

"How about a hug for me, Mr. Edgeworth?" Maya insisted, her arms wide open. As far as I could tell, she was still as silly as ever. She just looked a little older. I laughed uncomfortably as she grabbed me around the waist. She smelled like some fruity shampoo... no wonder Wright was constantly attached to her. "We missed you!"

Wright stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You haven't changed at all, really... Well, you look a little less stuffy, but it's a welcome change."

I looked down at myself (and at Maya, who was still clinging onto me), and back at Wright. "You really think so?"

"Yeah," Wright replied. Something in the kitchen was beeping. "I'm gonna go get that... and clean up that plate. Sorry about that... um, make yourself at home!" With that, he disappeared.

Maya released me from her clutches. "Mr. Edgeworth! We have so much to catch up on! Let's go watch the game!"

_The game? _

"Since when do you watch football?" I asked curiously, following Maya onto the couch.

"Larry Butz got me into it. He told me to think of the game like an intense episode of the Pink Samurai, minus the whole ... _samurai_ thing."

I laughed, "That's... sort of weird."

"Yeah, but it sure makes the game interesting." Maya watched for a few seconds as the quarterback made a touchdown. Leaping into the air, pumping her fists, she screamed, "OH! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! IN YOUR _FACE_!"

Gumshoe, out of nowhere, came flying into the room.

"TOUCHDOWN?!" He yelled, asking Maya like some sort of pro-wrestler.

"YEAH!" she replied. The two engaged in a high-fiving, shouting, chest-bumping victory dance. Gumshoe was too excited to realize his own strength and toppled over poor Maya. Maya, collapsed on the ground, groaned painfully, quite similarly to how I had groaned earlier that day when Franziska told me I was going to blackmail Wright.

I got up from the couch, offering the girl my hand. She grabbed me by the wrist and pulled herself up. She held my hand for an awkward moment, smiling at me. I sheepishly smiled back, and wondered what Maya was trying to tell me through her playful smile. The moment ceased once Gumshoe looked over and gave us a funny look.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" Gumshoe exclaimed in shock. I abruptly, and rudely, snatched my hand away from Maya. After pausing for dramatic effect, he said nonchalantly, "I thought you weren't going to show up," as if he hadn't talked to me all day. What a liar.

Maya joked, eyeing me mischeviously, "How could Mr. Edgeworth _not_ show up? We're his only friends. Isn't that right, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"...Pretty much, yeah," I replied in a mostly-shameful manner.

_Please stop looking at me like that_, I mentally commanded to Maya. _Stop it. I might fall in love with those eyes-- STOP IT!_

My heart sank a little every time I thought of Wright falling in love, especially with someone wonderful like Maya Fey, and me being left with nothing but a one-night stand with someone like Franziska Von Karma. Why I always seem to end up slighted, I haven't the slightest clue.

Everyone sat back down on the couch. I was sandwiched between a clumsy detective and a hyperactive spirit medium, but I felt at home.

"Game's over," Gumshoe pouted. "But we won, pal!"

"We did?" I questioned.

"Uhm... Mr. Edgeworth? Don't you know the rules of football?"

"I never really got into it, no."

Maya's jaw dropped to the floor. Stunned, she exclaimed, "Well! You're coming over again so that we can teach you all about it! And you can be a part of our victory dance!"

I imagined myself chest-bumping with Gumshoe and Maya, and shuddered.

But the fact that Maya mentioned me coming over again... it was comforting. Like I actually belonged somewhere. "I'd love that!" I said excitedly. I realized how enthusiastic I had just sounded, and blushed a little.

Maya laughed. "Don't be so embarrassed-- it's okay to have a personality, you know."

_Ouch._

"I've been hiding it for so long," I said quietly, my face still red.

"Come on, Mr. Edgeworth! We're the closest people you have to family. I'm sorry, but the Von Karmas don't count. I think you can afford to open up a little!"

That was completely true. I couldn't hold my thoughts in forever. Besides, if I started to open up, I figured I could get a little information about that _letter_ Franziska told me about...

"You really want me to open up? You might not like what you hear..."

"That's okay, pal! Now let's hear one of your darkest secrets!" Gumshoe squealed like a schoolgirl.

"Um..." I thought about that for a bit. "I have a huge fear of earthquakes."

"Mr. Edgeworth, that was pathetic," Gumshoe said blankly. "Now let's hear a _real_ secret!"

I wasn't going to actually reveal one of my secrets-- that is, until I glanced over at Maya, whose eyes were so attentive and concerned, that I felt comfortable... for once in my life. I took a deep breath, and began, "Well, it's not really a secret, but it's something I don't like talking about."

Gumshoe and Maya both nodded in interest. I couldn't say no to their eager expressions.

"My whole life... I've been _deprived_ of ... love, I guess." I waited for them to respond, but they were obviously waiting for me to elaborate a little more. "My parents, well... they passed on before I can even remember them clearly. The Von Karmas' perfect schedule never allowed time for anything even remotely similar to 'love', let alone anything besides studying. I've been hated by the courts for presenting supposedly-false evidence, _shunned_ by fellow prosecutors who can't bear to be seen with me. And ever since I moved out here, my interaction with other human beings has reached an all-time low."

I stopped talking for a moment, but no one said anything. My feelings started to take over. I continued angrily, "And then they wonder why I'm so cold, why I have this... this strange _inability_ to become close with anyone. The worst part is that I always seem to be looking for love --or even a friend, for that matter-- in the wrong places! I've... I've been looking for love from people that I _know_ I will end up hurting me! But being loved and being hurt is better than not being loved at all, correct? ...Right?!"

They stared at me in silence.

I was brought back to reality when I heard another plate crash to the floor in the kitchen, and Wright yelled at us not to worry. _Oh, God, I just went on a psychotic rant, didn't I? _My face hot from embarrassment, I mumbled, "I said too much."

Maya hugged me again, resting her head on my shoulder as she replied quietly, "No, that was good... but you still need a hug."

Gumshoe, feeling left out of the love-fest, started patting my hair in a fatherly way. "Just let it all out, pal!"

_Dick Gumshoe, you are getting way too into this._

"There's something wrong with what you said, though," Maya commented. "What about Nick? What about _us_?"

"What about you guys and Wright?" I asked, confused.

"I mean, we've always cared about you... I know Nick was devastated when you left. All he talked about was 'Edgeworth this!' or 'Edgeworth that!' or 'God, I can't believe Edgeworth would do that!'... and I was just as worried about you."

Gumshoe piped in, "Hey, I cared too!"

I didn't respond.

"I think, maybe," Maya let go of me, "You were too afraid to acknowledge the fact that there were people out there who really _did_ care about you. You weren't used to that feeling; it was weird. And maybe you were scared to share your feelings with people that might actually _listen_-- like us. So you pretended we were out to get you, too..."

My heart was pounding practically out of my chest. My hands started trembling again as I tried to spit out a few words. "That's... that's... that's just it!" I whispered triumphantly. "Maya Fey, you just answered the question I've been asking myself for _fifteen years_!"

"Fifteen years...?" Gumshoe pondered profoundly, still stroking my head as if I were a dog.

Maya smiled, and was her normal, less-serious self again. "See... start opening up a little and you might learn something about yourself! I just wish Nick was in here to hear you!"

"NO!" I jumped up from the couch involuntarily. Gumshoe and Maya looked completely taken by surprise. I explained my erratic actions; "I mean... um. Let's just keep this between us for now. I'm not ready to reveal my soul to Wright just yet..."

Maya frowned. "Mr. Edgeworth, what's stopping you from--!?"

"I'm not having this conversation--"

"DINNER!!" Wright yelled from the kitchen.

Maya sighed in frustration as she made her way across the room. She said under her breath, "It'd mean so much to Nick if you would just _talk_ to him!"

..._Ugh._

I knew it would mean a lot to Wright if I just told him _something_. But I had to be focused on getting information out of the guy, not revealing my soul to him.

Even if I didn't have a secret agenda, I would never tell Wright anything _too_ personal.

I sat down at the table, starving for the food that was placed in front of me. Maya sat across from me, and raised her eyebrows at me as if she expected me to do something-- something involving Wright, of course. I furrowed my brow. Gumshoe sat next to me, and was mumbling to himself about mashed potatoes and corn.

Finally, Wright joined us at the table, setting a plate of turkey down as he did so. "Dinner," he announced grandly, "is served."

"It's about TIME, pal!" Gumshoe was practically slobbering as he reached for a piece of turkey. I raised an eyebrow in a mixture of disgust and amusement.

Maya poked at her turkey with her fork. I noticed the sparkling diamond ring on her left hand. I looked over at Wright, who was smiling to himself as he looked at Maya. It was a heartbreakingly affectionate gaze. To think that Wright really _did_ have a soft side... he noticed me staring at him, and I quickly looked back down at my food.

"So, Edgeworth, what have you been doing here-- prosecuting?" he asked.

Gumshoe gave me an awkward look, waiting for me to finally reveal a secret about myself to Wright. I said to Wright softly, "I haven't prosecuted in years-- since the last case that I lost to _you_, I haven't touched a case."

"Huh?" Maya mumbled inbetween spoonfuls of corn.

"You quit prosecuting?!" Wright choked, his mouth half-full. I nodded. "Why--"

"Mr. Edgeworth's _writing_ now. You know... for a _magazine_!" Gumshoe interrupted the awkward moment enthusiastically.

Wright stared blankly at Gumshoe, then at me. I thought he was going to ask me to leave his house immediately.

"Sorry," I apologized pathetically.

After a moment of thought, he smiled, "Actually... that makes a lot of sense. You've always seemed like a writer type of guy."

_Wright, why do you have to be so damn FORGIVING about everything!?_

"You're the first person who's seemed relatively unsurprised about that."

"Yeah," Gumshoe chimed in. He hadn't finished chewing, but he spoke anyway. "When I heard that, I was completely taken by surprise!"

"I think it's because I'm one of the few people that really _gets_ you, Edgeworth," Wright explained casually.

_And why are you always RIGHT, Wright?_

I didn't expect him to say something like that. I laughed quietly.

"Actually, knowing you, I'm surprised you showed up here, tonight. I mean, I'm glad you came and all, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. So even if you told me you had become a murderer, I'd still be happy just to say that I saw you-- well, not really, but you know."

"Wright..." I prepared to say something thoughtful, something... _nice_. I even thought about quoting one of the greeting cards; not the corny one, the _good_ one.

Maya gave me an excited look, expecting me to pour my heart out.

Panicked by her gorgeous, yet childishly-anticipating smile, I cleared my throat and changed my mind. "Wright... this turkey is fantastic."

Maya gave me another look-- this time, she looked at me scornfully.

"Yeah, pal, it IS delicious!" Gumshoe was totally oblivious. The only thing he was worried about was the food sitting in front of him.

"So I guess it's my turn to interrogate you, huh?" I turned to Wright, changing the subject immediately. "What made you choose _Chicago_, of all places, to start anew?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Wright asked.

"Huh?! No..." I squeaked, taken by surprise.

"Well, bigger cities have more job opportunities. And I think we just wanted a change. The weather here is really refreshing."

"Who's 'we'?" I asked stupidly.

"Oh, it's..." Wright blushed. "It's Maya and me."

"Right," It was my turn to blush. "I... forgot to congratulate you two on... that."

_On "that"? Way to be polite, Edgeworth._

Wright smiled, and was about to say something, but I awkwardly interrupted him. "I mean, really. You guys complement each other!"

Wright said nothing, probably not wanting to be interrupted again. He just beamed at Maya, who was beaming at me, and Gumshoe was beaming at his dinner.

Smiling was somewhat of an alien concept to me. I contorted my face into a desperate smile, and realized how ridiculous I looked. Wright smiled even more, although this time he was laughing at me.

And I laughed at myself-- really _laughed_ at myself, and I smiled.

The remainder of the dinner was a little more relaxed. There was plenty of small-talk about Wright's cases, my work, and Larry Butz's new girlfriend.

"You know, I think this is a world record... they've been going out for a whole _month_ now!" Wright commented when I brought up the fact that Larry went through women (or, rather, women went through Larry) like water through a fire hydrant hose.

"That's strange. I wonder how much he's paying her...?" I laughed back.

Friendship is a mysterious phenomenon. What makes someone feel relaxed around a person they haven't seen in years?

I simply couldn't help but feel comfortable, sitting at that table. I wasn't being judged. I was just being Miles Edgeworth-- the Miles Edgeworth that I didn't _mind_ being, not the Edgeworth I had to pretend to be around _most_ people...

A couple hours later, things had settled down around Wright's place. We were scattered across the living room. Maya was sleeping, curled up on the couch with her head resting on Gumshoe's chest, who had one arm around Maya and one arm falling off the side of the couch. Gumshoe was snoring louder than I'd ever heard. Apparently, all that turkey got to them both.

I comfortably sank into an armchair across from Wright, who was sitting in an identical chair. The television displayed a fuzzy image of the news-- the snowy weather was screwing up the satellite dish.

"Doesn't that weird you out?" I randomly asked Wright, who had been quiet for a while.

"Doesn't _what_ weird me out?"

"Maya and Gumshoe practically sleeping on top of each other."

Wright looked over at the two sleeping figures on the couch, and grinned, "It used to. Actually, I used to get sort of jealous, but now I've realized they've got more of a father-daughter relationship... or something like that. That's just how they are."

"Huh. Well, at least you've got the upper-hand on the situation.. after all, Maya's engaged to _you_! Still... they're pretty funny to look at."

Wright laughed. "They really are," he sighed, turning around to watch the TV again.

Silence filled the room once more, aside from the soft voices coming from the TV set.

I had to get some information out of Wright, whether I wanted to or not.

"Can I... talk to you?" I asked reluctantly.

"Uh... sure? What is it?"

"Something important." How awkward. I couldn't just confront the man in front of Maya and Gumshoe. "Er... can we go outside?"

Wright gave me a weird look, but got up from his chair, grabbed our coats, and led me to the balcony outside the apartment.

We stood next to each other there for a moment, taking in the fresh air and looking over the street. Snow fluttered down from the sky rather heavily, but in a refreshing sort of way.

I took a deep breath, and began, "Well... this is about a letter... a letter that you supposedly wrote and passed off as a letter that _I_ had written."

Wright stared out at nothing in particular. Quietly, he said, "This is about Von Karma, isn't it?"

"You wrote that I had forged evidence, had secret agendas, and blackmailed numerous people... why?"

More intensely, he repeated, "This is about Von Karma, _isn't it_?"

"...Yes, but..."

"I received a letter similar to the one you're describing. But it was from _you_. I never _wrote_ anything."

"But--"

"Edgeworth," Wright grabbed my shoulder abruptly, looking me straight in the eye. He didn't smile at all as he said, "Please understand me... I _wouldn't_ do that to you. I wouldn't pretend to be you even if you asked me to. You have to understand something: Franziska Von Karma wants me dead. She wants me to crash and burn, be banished from society, be ostracized for the rest of my life--"

"Why? And how do you know all this?"

Wright shied away, taking a step away from me and facing the street again. "You came here as her accomplice, didn't you... you came to help Von Karma seek revenge!"

"WHAT!? No!" I exclaimed. "Well, that's not completely true... I was told to come here to get information out of you--"

"That's the same thing as helping her seek revenge!" Wright growled. "Why, Edgeworth?"

"You didn't answer _my _question yet!" I retorted. The conversation was quickly escalating into more of an argument. I was afraid Wright was going to push me off the balcony, judging by the suddenly-fierce expression on his face. "Why does Franziska want revenge so badly, anyway?!"

Wright looked down, his expression softening drastically. "...It's a long story."

I took a step closer to Wright. "Well, I've got the time to hear it."

"Okay, well... this whole thing started only a couple weeks after you had disappeared. I got the letter... and it said it was from you, but I didn't really want to believe that. I mean, I know you would never write a letter disclosing your secrets-- that's just not you... plus, it wasn't even your handwriting. Nothing really made sense. Without thinking, I started showing the letter around to people. Franziska was one of the first people I showed it to. She acted so strangely, as if she _knew_ I was going to come to her with some sort of bad news. She got all defensive about it."

"So you're saying she wrote it?"

"All the evidence points to her. Anyway, we started investigating a few suspects who could've forged your letter. Franziska was the most obvious of the suspects, of course. Gumshoe went behind her back, and helped me break into her office. We found... well, we found a number of things."

"Such as...?"

"...There was this big file in the bottom of her desk drawer. Inside it was _tons_ of information-- about you and me! None of it was good. Some of it was made up. But the fact that it was there really made things crystal clear."

"What do you mean?"

Wright's voice wavered as he continued his story. I could tell things weren't about to end on a good note. "The last few pages of the file were... were forged suicide notes. God... I'm creeped out talking about this. There was one for me, you, Maya, Gumshoe, hell, even the Judge was in there. The final page of the file was a _hit list_, and guess what? Every single one of our names was on it."

I'd always thought Franziska would sink pretty low to get what she wanted. I mean, _she_ was the one who seduced me into getting information out of Wright in the first place. But to plan the murders of so many people... a fully-disgusted feeling came over me.

"What the... what the _hell_!?"

"She had our murders planned from the very beginning. Edgeworth, she couldn't let _anybody_ jeopardize her goal of perfection. If murdering a person would get her ahead of everyone else, she would do it. And the suicide notes were just backup, I guess."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"When you suddenly disappeared, Franziska's plan of killing us off got messed up. Maybe you were next on her list, or something, I don't know-- but I think that's why she became frantic and wrote a letter pretending to be you. That way, if you ever tried to come back and prosecute, it'd be impossible. Your reputation would be shattered. And Franziska wouldn't have to worry about you getting in her way. Like you did all the hard work _for_ her, except you were still alive in the end... do you get what I'm saying?"

I was at a loss of words for a while. Wright didn't say anything either; he only stared off into the distance. He sighed melodramatically, and finally turned to me, expecting me to say something.

"Why would _you_ be on the list, anyway?"

"At first, I thought it was just because of the fact that I'd beaten her in so many cases. But then, Franziska tried to... She tried to..."

"Tried to what?" I was getting a little impatient.

"... Tried to kill Maya," Wright was speaking so quietly, I had to lean in to hear what he was saying.

_What the HELL?!_

I didn't know how to respond, so he continued. "We almost thought we were going to lose Maya for a while... but, Franziska didn't succeed, thank God."

"Wright, we need to do something--"

"Well, anyway... now I'm thinking that since I saw the entire incident, Franziska _knows_ I'm going to do something about it. She can't be convicted, so how is she going to get rid of the evidence?"

"Get rid of the witness, of course," I answered softly. Kill Wright? She wouldn't.

Actually, after recalling recent events, it was quite obvious that she would.

"Anyway. That's the _real_ reason why Maya and I moved out here. To get away from _her_."

I could only whisper, "Wright, I wish I had known--"

"It's not your fault, Edgeworth," Wright looked straight at me, almost as if he were apologizing to _me_, for burdening me with the sickening news of Franziska's secret agenda.

Something in me snapped, and I couldn't be stopped.

"Why did I quit prosecuting in the first place? For selfish, petty reasons... really, I should've been helping you, in return for everything you've done for _me_... God, I'm a horrible friend!" I lamented randomly, and rather loudly. "What the hell... Maya was right! I don't care enough about the people who care about _me_; I place my trust in people who will only stab me in the back!"

Wright looked genuinely concerned as he listened to my rant. The look on his face made me babble even more. "Wright, I'm so... I'm so _sorry_..."

"Edgeworth?" Wright tried to console me, but there was no turning back. I had been holding in those feelings for so long, that they wouldn't stop for anyone. Even if that meant revealing a whole other side of myself to Wright.

"It's _my_ fault Maya was almost killed, _my_ fault that Franziska wants revenge on virtually the entire world, _my_ fault that everything is so _screwed up_... it's all because I was too selfish to step in and _help_ anyone when I had the chance!" A warm, wet tear of frustration ran down my face. _Oh, God, no-- _"Now look where we are: waiting to be killed, taken advantage of... We have to stop this!"

"Edgeworth."

"I never meant to cause all this--"

"Edgeworth?"

"Please look away. This is very... embarrassing," I sniffled.

"_EDGEWORTH!_" Wright shouted aggressively. I accidentally let another tear slide down my cheek. He realized what a hopeless mood I was in, and he relaxed.

And then, something unexpected happened. He leaned into me and hugged me as if I were his little brother. He didn't say anything.

All I could do was stand there. A grown man crying on another grown man's shoulder. I was so ashamed of myself. I mumbled, "You, of all people, aren't supposed to see me like this..."

"Why?"

"Just... because." I sniffled again. "So many things have happened over the course of so little time... Franziska... she... came to my apartment the other day..."

Wright pulled away. "What?! What happened?"

"... I can't tell you. At least, not right now," I grumbled, looking away. I sighed and wiped my eyes.

"But... this is important."

"I guess I should go..."

Wright opened the door back into the apartment. Guiding me to the front door, he asked, "Well, I'll see you again, right? We have to straighten all this out."

"Of course." We exchanged phone numbers and planned on meeting the next morning. "Well... this has certainly been an interesting reunion."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Tell Maya and Gumshoe I said goodbye. Bye, Wright."

"Bye, Edgeworth."

...Half an hour later, I was in the bedroom of my apartment. Unsurprisingly, I couldn't fall asleep. Wright's voice kept ringing in my head, "It's not your fault, Edgeworth."

I had a hard time believing that.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing. I answered hastily, "Hello?"

"Edgeworth, it's me, Wright! I'm coming over!"

"Wright?" I said, puzzled. "Why the hell do you have to come over now, of all times--"

"I just got a phone call from the one-and-only Franziska Von Karma. Edgeworth, this is urgent. See you in about fifteen minutes." With that, Wright hung up. I didn't even have time to complain, or ask how he even knew how to get to my apartment, for that matter.

Less than a minute later, I received another call.

"What?!" I picked up the phone, agitation seeping through my teeth.

"That's no way to greet a woman, Miles."

"... What do _you_ want, Franziska?"

"I hear that you didn't get the information I wanted," Franziska said. I could tell she was about to explode in anger. "You do know what that means, don't you?"

"Uhm."

"Listen, Miles," she growled unexpectedly. "I'm on my way to your apartment. We need to have a little... _discussion_."

I gulped. "I know where you're going with this, Franziska. And... I can't follow behind you this time. I have no reason to help you at all!"

There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then, so quietly I could barely hear her, Franziska whispered, "What?" She paused again. Suddenly, she was screaming. "WHAT!? Miles EDGEWORTH! You _promised_!"

"Don't be so... immature. I was drunk."

"Just as I am now! HA! And don't tell me to be more mature. You're not even man enough to--" I heard the brakes of a car squealing in the background. "Look what you made me do! Damn it..."

"Franziska, calm down! Wait, you're drunk?-- Pull over!" I was shaking at the thought of Franziska driving around in the state she was in...

"Oh, yeah... 'calm down, just pull over', he says," Franziska's voice tremored frantically. I heard the horns of at least five cars in the background, probably all beeping at her. "I don't think you understand, Miles. I _spared you_ before. I thought I wouldn't _have_ to get rid of you. And now, look... I ask you to do a little favor for me, and you can't even do it!"

"You were going to get rid of me?"

"Yes, I was. I even had your suicide note written out. It was a genius plan, if I do say so myself. But now-- _now_! Everything is ruined!"

"Please, Franziska, pull over... we can talk about this rationally!"

"LOOK!" Franziska barked into the phone, ignoring me completely. "There's Phoenix Wright! Right there! Crossing the street! Why, he looks as if he's on his way to _your_ place! Oh, my God, Miles... are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I started to get a little frantic myself. This conversation was going downhill faster than the speed of light. The sound of a police siren could be heard on the other line... pathetically, I started crying again. "Franziska?! ...Franziska, don't do anything crazy--"

"Thanks for nothing, _Miles-fucking-Edgeworth_!"

"Wright--" I yelled...

The sounds of grinding metal, one car crashing into another, and the faint scream of a man... permanently ingrained in my memory. After that, I heard nothing but the dial tone. The phone dropped from my hand... I was stunned, practically numb to any emotion... I wasn't sure what to think. All I could do was sit there, at the foot of my bed, shaking and crying.

The phone rang nearly an hour later. I was sitting in the same spot. I let the machine answer.

"Mr. Edgeworth? This is Gumshoe. There's been an accident... please, help... we're at the hospital... I need your help-- please hurry."

Tears still streaming down my face, I threw on a shirt and ran straight out the front door.


	7. Chapter 7

Five words came to mind after I read this chapter over:  
"Yeah-- I just went there."

The next chapter is either the last one, or the second-to-last, depending on if I split the chapter up in two parts. Thanks to everybody who has been reading this-- enjoy this chapter, as melodramatic as it is!

* * *

I really meant it when I said I ran _straight_ out the front door. I hadn't even put on a coat-- and I was starting to regret it.

Snow fell from the sky heavily. I could barely see where I was going. With tears in my eyes, things only got worse. Franziska was completely right when she said I was weak... I shuddered. She probably didn't have a scratch on her body from the accident. I imagined Wright hideously strewn across a stretcher, his arms limp, his shirt bloodsoaked...

There wasn't enough time. I couldn't get to the hospital fast enough, even when I was running so quickly I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, my fingers becoming more and more numb. Finally, I found the entrance to the emergency room. Wiping my eyes and taking a deep breath for good luck, I walked in.

The hospital's automatic door opened for me. I stepped in the doorway, panting and shivering uncontrollably. I had run the entire way there, and my shirt and hair were soaked through due to the wet snow. For a moment, I wondered if I _myself_ would have to be treated in the ER... for hypothermia.

The receptionist gave me an odd, uncomfortable look. Apparently, she wasn't used to dealing with hopeless fools like _me_ very often. Things seemed unnaturally calm in the waiting room. I asked the receptionist, my teeth chattering, "Where can I find Phoenix Wright?"

It was strange. I'd never called Wright by his first name before. _Phoenix_... it does sort of have a ring to it.

But it's not like I call him Wright because I don't want to sound too personal, I just think Wright just _suits_ him.

"Let me see... oh," she frowned, scrolling through names on her computer. "I don't see a Phoenix Wright anywhere on this list..."

"I know he's on this floor. He's supposed to be in the ER."

The woman double-checked, but shook her head. "He's not on the list. Um, do you need some help? You _yourself_ don't look too good--"

"Don't tell me he's..." I held my breath cautiously. "Phoenix Wright hasn't 'checked out', has he?"

A man wearing scrubs walked by just as the receptionist was about to answer. "Somebody say Phoenix Wright?" he interrupted. I nodded. "Oh... we just moved him downstairs. Man, he's in critical condition..."

"Damn it," I grumbled. I didn't even bother to thank the receptionist for her "help". I made a run for the elevator, muttering profanities under my breath.

My heart was pounding in a mixture of exhaustion and fear. In the elevator, I stood next to a woman leaning on her IV stand. An IV blatantly stuck out of her arm, and I nearly gagged at the sight. I then realized that Wright would probably look a thousand times worse than that woman did, and gagged again. Hospitals really aren't my thing.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened. I still had to go down a few floors. The woman with the IV dragged herself out, while another pair of people waiting to enter... seemed to be fighting each other off.

_Oh, hell..._

There was Franziska Von Karma, prying herself away from an policeman who was trying to handcuff her. She cursed, screamed, and kicked her stiletto into the man's leg. She managed to push him away long enough to escape.

She didn't even notice me as she hurriedly pressed at the elevator buttons, mumbling to herself, "Close the door, close the door, close the _fucking_ door--"

Panicking, I shouted, "Franziska--!?"

The door closed. The policeman wasn't in the elevator. I gulped...

Out of nowhere, Franziska wildly glared at me. She snarled, "WHAT!?"

"Where's Wright!?"

"LOOK, I WON! I _beat_ you! And, in the process, I've taken everything that actually MEANS anything to you!" She inched toward me, backing me into the corner of the elevator. I feared for my life. "Mr. Phoenix Wright? Oh, that pathetic _fool_... there's no chance for him!"

"Just answer one question for me. Please... Who wrote that letter? ...And, why have you sunken so _low_?"

"You want to know who wrote that letter?" Franziska scoffed, waving her index finger in my face. "I did! It takes a lot of hard _work_ to get to the top, you know? Oh, yes. You would know. You _yourself_ haven't always played fair, now have you, Miles?"

I could feel my face turning red with anger. "You were the one who told me to--"

She punched me in the jaw with more force than I'd expected. I shoved her away, praying the elevator door would open before she could recover. It didn't. Franziska hit the wall, but seemed unfazed. The gleam in her eye just became even more deranged.

"So you want to play that way, huh?" she panted. "Don't you realize you're _NOTHING_ to me!?"

_Why the HELL isn't the elevator door opening...!?_

An unfamiliar voice announced over an intercom, "This is the maintenance crew. The elevator door seems to be stuck-- don't panic, we'll have everything under control within five minutes!"

_Just my luck..._

The woman lunged toward me, squeezing her hands around my neck. I coughed for air, trying to pull her off of me, but I couldn't even move one of her fingers. I fell to my knees weakly. Franziska fell, but maintained her strong grip, pressing me against the wall.

"Simply a tool that I've been using to get what _I_ want! What is it with you..." Enjoying my struggle, Franziska squeezed even tighter with each word she let escape through her clenched teeth. "...Always... doing... things... for... people who _couldn't care less_!?"

I couldn't breathe; my eyes were watering, but Franziska didn't release me. "Take a look around-- who's here to save you!? That's right: _no one_! I know it hurts to be alone, Miles," she yelled patronizingly, suddenly throwing my head to the ground. I choked, almost blacking out. "But loneliness is only a result of being a weak _fool_!"

With the help of a sudden adrenaline rush, I managed to punch her off of me. She hit the floor, and stayed there. I sat up, and looked over at her pathetic body, shaking with anger and gasping for breath.

"You vile, horrible _thing_..." I couldn't manage to get anything else out.

With that, the door opened. A policeman rushed in, grabbing Franziska's hands and handcuffing her. The man didn't even acknowledge my presence. Franziska was literally dragged out the hospital door, screaming about getting revenge as she disappeared from my sight.

I tried to regain my composure as I stepped out of the elevator. The night was getting bleaker and bleaker as it went on.

The whole hall was eerily lit, almost as if the designers of the hospital were _trying_ to create a gloomy atmosphere. There were a bunch of nurses gathered around one of the rooms, yelling at each other and barking complicated-sounding orders like they do on high-drama television shows. I couldn't get a clear view of who the patient was... I just prayed it wasn't Wright.

I passed by quickly, and entered the waiting room. The lighting was less eerie, but the flourescent lights that covered the ceiling flickered an obnoxious shade of white. A television in the corner displayed the image of a dramatic soap opera scene.

I scanned the room, looking for a familiar face. The entire room was empty, aside from a young woman was sitting in the corner by herself. She was staring into her lap, barely moving at all. She looked up at the TV that was hanging from the corner of the room, watched it for a moment, and sighed as she looked down again. It was Maya Fey. I called over to her, "Maya!"

She stood up. "Mr. Edgeworth... you're here..."

She didn't move; she merely stared at me, tears welling in her eyes. I ran over to her quickly.

_I guess it's just one depressing moment after the other tonight..._

She fell onto me and grabbed my shirt, burying her face into it, even though it was soaking wet. An instant later, I felt her gasping and silently sobbing against my chest.

_Don't just stand there, Edgeworth!_

At first, I was taken by surprise-- and had a disturbing flashback of a few nights before, when a drunken Franziska Von Karma had grabbed me in the same place, only to seduce me into blackmailing Wright. I wasn't sure what to do. I had to comfort the girl-- but I didn't know how. I was in desperate need of comforting, as well...

"I yelled at him," Maya's tiny voice wavered.

"What?"

"I yelled at him before he left... told him he was stupid for going outside so late... and look what happened!"

My heart sank. "Oh, Maya..."

Somewhat reluctantly, I took her in my arms, rocking back and forth slightly. Much to my dismay, her sobs were only getting louder.

"Why did this have to happen?" she whimpered.

Panicking, and about ready to start crying again myself, I pulled her in closer.

"Please don't cry," I whispered, pushing the hair that was hiding Maya's face behind her ear. "It's going to be okay..."

Clenching my shirt in her fists, she replied hopelessly, "You don't know what they said... Nick's _not_ going to be okay!" She stared up at me with her big, honest eyes, now completely bloodshot. Her lip trembled, and she buried her face into my chest again.

I could almost hear her heart breaking as she spoke... I fought the temptation to join her in crying. I didn't bother asking what the doctors had said. I couldn't... I had to stay calm. For Wright. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"Mr. Edgeworth," Maya cried, "They're doctors! How could they be wrong--"

"Wright's going to be okay. I won't let him _not_ be okay." I tried to emulate Gumshoe as I stroked the back of her head.

"What if he... what if he doesn't make it?"

I trembled, pressing the girl's body even closer to mine. I didn't have an answer to that yet.

There's something about deep sorrow and utter despair that causes changes in people. I don't know if it's the fact that they feel like they have nothing to lose, or if they're just so desperate to forget about their own grief that they focus their energy on soothing others' pain.

But despite the fact that I had just been strangled, and was just informed that something horrible happened to a man I consider to be my closest friend... I felt stronger than I ever had, knowing that Maya's sanity was in my hands at that moment.

"I... don't know," I replied stupidly. The girl wailed. I stammered, "W-well, I mean..."

"First my mother, then Mia, now Nick! And I had to _yell_ at him... why...!?"

"Wait, Maya, sit down," I pushed her into one of the chairs we were standing by. I sat down, facing her, taking her shaking hands in mine. Trying to gather my thoughts, I began, "Look, I know where you're coming from..."

Maya sniffled.

"I _know_ what it's like to lose people... to lose _everyone_. I mean, my own father, I watched him... But, Maya, you _haven't_ lost everyone... Wright's not gone yet."

"The doctors said--"

"I don't care what the _hell_ the doctors said..." I bluffed.

We sat in silence for a while, until the peace was broken when we both heard a nurse in the distance scream, "He's gonna need a blood transfusion! Somebody hurry, he's on his way out!"

Maya's lip started trembling again, as she said, "That nurse just came out of Nick's room..."

She started crying again. One of her tears dropped onto my hand-- it stung, but I couldn't start crying. "Maya, please..."

The girl started rambling something about being completely alone. Upon hearing that, I squeezed her hands tighter than I had before. "You're not alone."

"Yes, I am..."

"We'll get through this. You and me... and Gumshoe, too..."

"You and me, Mr. Edgeworth? You left us for four years, and we _just_ re-united today! I have nowhere to live; that apartment was Nick's--"

"I was so wrong for leaving you and Wright-- please don't hold that against me."

"Sorry, it's just that..." Maya interrupted herself with a sob.

"I have to make it up to you... for all that lost time. For Wright's sake, I have to--" I paused.

Maya looked at me, her eyes begging for answers that I just couldn't give, no matter how hard I tried.

I couldn't guarantee Wright's survival, I couldn't predict what would happen if he didn't make it, I couldn't even find the words to _slightly_ console the girl... yet again, I had no control over the situation.

I started crying for the third time that night.

I pulled Maya in again. We sat there, her head nestled inbetween my shoulder and cheek, for quite some time. I'm not even sure how much time passed by.

We weren't interrupted until I heard a desperate voice calling, "Mr. Edgeworth! What are you _doing_ here!? It's four o'clock..."

"Four o'clock AM!?" Embarrassed to be seen crying, I let go of Maya and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt. Attempting to remain composed, I looked up; "What?"

Gumshoe was standing above us. The dark circles under his eyes almost looked as if he had painted them on, they were so horrid. It was obvious he had shed a tear or two, as well.

"Help..." he moaned like a puppy, pulling a chair over to where we were sitting. He couldn't even look at me as he spoke.

"Have you heard anything?"

"I don't know... I was hoping you could fill me in..."

"Well, I don't know. We're not sure what's going on either. The nurses haven't come out of Wright's room for a while, though--"

I spoke too soon. A doctor walked somberly into the waiting room. He droned, "Where is the family of Mr. Phoenix Wright?" He looked at Maya, Gumshoe, and myself. "Oh... I'm so sorry... but if you could please come into his room..."

_This can't be happening!_

I glanced at Maya, "You go."

She got up from her seat shakily, and looked directly at me as she stated, "You're coming with me."

"Me? No, I can't..."

"...Mr. Edgeworth!" she wailed loudly. Instantly, I leaped up from my seat.

Gumshoe gave me a look, making it clear he was _not_ about to go and see Wright. I couldn't blame him.

I held Maya's hand as we followed the doctor down the hall. My heart was pounding. I was so scared of what I was about to see...

Standing outside Wright's room, the doctor said quietly, "Just to warn you... oh, I'm so sorry. He lost too much blood, and two of his ribs are broken-- his lungs are punctured. It looks like your Phoenix isn't going to make it."

_This can NOT be happening..._

We entered the room. Wright lay in the hospital bed peacefully, although there was blood all over the sheets. I thought I was going to pass out. The heart monitor beeped slowly.

To my surprise, Maya seemed prepared for this sight-- more prepared than I was. Instead of falling to her knees, crying and screaming like a baby (like I was about to), she went over to Wright's side and took his hand.

"Nick..." she cried quietly. She waited a moment to catch her breath. "Oh, Nick..."

I stood in the corner of the room, watching her.

_Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away-- now it looks as though they're here to stay..._

"Why did this have to happen?"

The only response Wright could give her was a few slow beeps from the heart monitor.

"I just wanted to apologize for yelling earlier today... and, say that I _love_ you... you know that, right, Nick?"

I heard the faint sound of shattering glass-- it must've been my heart being crushed. I had to leave the room. I waited in the doorway, partially listening to what Maya was saying. I couldn't intrude on her last moments with her fiancee...

"I wish our life together didn't have to end so soon," she sniffed, "but, I guess I'm a spirit medium, right? We'll still be able to talk... just, you know, not face-to-face..."

The heart monitor let out a long, drawn out beep.

Wright was _gone_.

"Goodbye, Nick..."

The doctor asked Maya to leave after a few minutes. I couldn't even look at the girl as she dragged herself of the room.

She fell onto me and started sobbing, just as she did in the waiting room. This time, I couldn't stop myself from crying.


	8. Chapter 8

Well, this is it.

I changed this chapter a LOT, so it took a while to update. I really hope it was worth it... I'm kinda nervous. Thanks to EVERYONE who's been reading this. It means so much to get those nice reviews!

Next time you see me, I'll be writing a prequel to this fic-- a roooomance about Nick and Maya?! Get excited. I know I am!

Until next time...

* * *

I picked up Maya from her apartment that morning, and told her we were going out for breakfast-- "It's a little tradition of mine", I explained as I practically yanked her out the door. She didn't have time to argue. I grabbed her hand as I pulled her down the street, ultimately leading her to that cheap excuse for a restaurant I always ate at-- the same restaurant where I caught a glimpse of Maya and Wright as a couple for the first time, where Gumshoe first reeled me back into the world I'd left behind...

I sat across from her, at my _usual_ table by the window, of course, watching her as she held a mug of hot cocoa to her lips. Her tiny hands couldn't even reach completely around the cup.

I never realized how small, how _fragile_ she was. Her big personality normally overshadowed her petite frame, but as I witnessed her picking at her food like some sort of bird, and quietly, solemnly speaking, she really did look ... little.

I had spent the past few days entirely with Maya, keeping her company (although neither of us said much, really) and forcing her to eat (although neither of us had an appetite). I even accompanied her to her apartment every night (and I mean that in the cleanest, most literal way possible), waiting in the living room until half the night had gone by to leave. I couldn't let her go to sleep without someone being there; I know all too well what it's like to wake up after a nightmare, sweating, looking for someone to tell you, "It's just a dream", and realizing that there's no one around to hear your cry for help. I couldn't put her through that.

Maya slowly bit into the toast she ordered to be "practically burned to a crisp". She set the piece of bread down after one bite.

"It's no good?" I asked disappointedly.

Maya stammered, "No, it's fine, it's just..."

"Yeah. I get it," I didn't even have to ask. "Sorry."

"Why should you be sorry? I'm just not hungry."

"Well, I don't know," I looked into her eyes, which had dark, exhausted circles surrounding them, "I just want you to take care of yourself, I suppose."

"I'm so glad I have somebody like you to be with," Maya half-smiled, sighing. "I hope you don't mind constantly hanging around me."

"I don't mind keeping you company at all." It was true. Despite a lack of sleep and the loss of a close friend, the past few days weren't bad at all. "It's actually kinda nice."

"Good," Maya downed the rest of what was left of her hot cocoa. "I heard being with people makes dealing with death a lot easier." She thought for a moment, then added, "Maybe that's why I didn't dwell on Mia's death-- I had Nick the entire time."

_Pfft. If being around people cures mourning, why am I still a wreck?_

I tried not to show it, but I had turned into a walking disaster ever since Wright's death. I seemed relatively fine on the outside around Maya, but in reality, I couldn't stop thinking about that night. I was having nightmares about sitting in the waiting room of that hospital. The day after he died, I sat in my apartment, crying on my bedroom floor, blaming myself for his death, among other things. I hadn't _really_ eaten in days. The morning of Wright's funeral, I could barely function normally enough to dress myself.

Surprisingly, I didn't have a tear left in me by the time the actual funeral service came around. I just sat there, alone in the pews, watching all the sobbing people... trying to drown out the church choir's monotonous drone with my own thoughts.

I caught a glimpse of Wright's mother sitting next to Maya, but I couldn't bring myself to go over to her to express my sympathy. I hadn't seen the woman since I was nine years old, when Wright invited Larry and me over to his house at least once a week. She probably wouldn't even recognize me.

I met up with Maya after the burial was over. She was sobbing, blubbering words about having absolutely no one, mentioning that Gumshoe was leaving later that day to go back out west. In a moment of selflessness, I told her I would take her home and fix her dinner.

And since then, I'd been keeping myself busy enough with keeping Maya company that I didn't have time to discuss my feelings.

"Well, I still miss him," I muttered just loudly enough for Maya to hear. She instantly glanced up and stared at me for the longest time. I blushed, and apologized again.

"I was wondering when you would admit it," she stated, a half-smile spreading across her face.

"Huh?"

"It's okay to show a little emotion-- that's why we're spending time together, isn't it? To console each other?"

"That's..." I couldn't find the words. Since when did Maya always have the right thing to say? "That's exactly it..."

"Don't be so afraid to tell me how horrible you're feeling. 'Cause, you know, you aren't alone..." Maya smiled. She grabbed her unfinished toast and took a satisfying bite out of it.

After watching her finish off her toast, I mumbled, "Yeah, I actually _do_ feel pretty horrible..."

"Let's talk about it. I bet I feel just as badly as you do."

"Not right now. This isn't a discussion we should be having in the middle of a restaurant."

"Okay..."

"Sorry," I mumbled, trying to ignore the look of deep concern Maya was giving me.

The waitress brought over our bill. I grabbed it before Maya could get out her wallet. She argued with me for a minute about paying her way, but I refused to let her pay one cent.

The rest of the day was spent in Maya's apartment. She didn't feel like doing much-- we watched movies until about five o'clock, ate dinner, then returned to the couch to catch a football game.

Of course, Maya chose the sappiest romance movies to watch. I could barely stomach the ill-conceived plotlines (a man falls in love with a woman, and things are going extremely well until one day, when she suddenly reveals to him that she has a terminal illness and will die in a week). Maya reached for the tissue box at least a thousand times that day.

She found a comfortable spot resting her head against my chest, as we both laid on the couch. I couldn't protest when she practically climbed on top of me-- she was probably thinking I was Wright or something, as disturbing as that sounds... Besides, I was starting to get used to the whole 'physical-contact-with-human-beings' thing. I think it was during the third movie we watched that I started stroking her long, silky hair without giving it a second thought.

One of the movies we watched was particularly sappy. I told Maya I was reluctant about watching such a movie, but Maya assured me it was good-- and then made me feel extremely guilty, explaining that the particular movie we were about to watch reminded her of Wright.

_"I wrote you three hundred and sixty-five letters. I wrote you every day, for a year."_

_"You wrote me?"_

_"Yes... it wasn't over. It still isn't over..."_

I stifled the sob that was about to burst from my mouth. _What the hell, Edgeworth, get it together..._

"This... is... so... BEAUTIFUL!" Maya cried, almost blowing her nose on my shirt. I looked down at her, watching her wipe her tears on my collar-- my shirt was soaking wet. "Isn't it, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Yes--" I interrupted myself with the sob that wanted to escape from my lips. "What the hell... I'm crying."

"You're supposed to!" Maya said inbetween sobs. "It's a romance... it makes you feel happier once you let out all the tears."

"What?! I feel like garbage!" I sniffled.

_I will never understand women..._

By the time that heart-shattering film ended, Maya was a mess. She was sobbing into my shirt just like she was a week earlier-- when we were in that hospital waiting room. I was, at least, somewhat composed, but I still felt a tear or two running down my face as the credits began rolling.

We just sat there, for a while... I didn't want to tell Maya to get up, but she was cutting off my leg's circulation.

"It's one o'clock," I stated indirectly.

"In the morning? Already?" Maya sighed, wiping the last of her tears from her eyes. I could finally feel my leg again as she stood up and began walking down the hallway.

I followed, saying, "Yeah. Are you gonna get to bed now?"  
"I guess," Maya stopped in the doorway of her bedroom and said, "Goodnight, Mr. Edgeworth."

"I guess I'll stay here until I know you're asleep. Good night..." With that, I shut the door.

My fingers remained on the doorknob for a few moments as I sighed, wishing there was something more I could say to Maya.

_I'm horrible at consoling_, I decided as I returned to the living room. Instead of sitting back down on the couch, I walked over to the window. The full moon was shining beautifully above the skyline.

_Such a lonely, poetic thing, the moon..._

_Oh, God, did I actually just think that?_

_I_ was really the one who needed consoling. How could I be expected to console someone if I was a mess myself? I was in a rather unpleasant position... so many things were going horribly, horribly wrong at the same time.

I didn't even know Maya that well, and yet, I was spending every waking moment with her. And I was enjoying it... almost a little _too_ much. I was growing attached to her. Maybe it was because I needed comforting; somebody to share my grief with. But, still, it was easy for me to see why Wright fell in love with her-- she was caring, funny, and beautiful, among many other things.

She was way too good for anyone like me to be spending time with...

Not that I could ever tell her how caring, funny, and beautiful I thought she was anyway.

I had to keep telling myself I wasn't spending time with her so that I could replace Wright (or, at least, attempt to)...

I mean, what if I let something a little too amorous slip out of my mouth? Maya might have a mental breakdown, thinking about Wright, and I probably wouldn't talk to her again. And then I'd feel even worse, and even more eager to take her into my arms...

It wasn't even that I specifically loved her. Since Wright died, I fell in love with _people_, in general.

What the hell? Why did I, all of a sudden, feel the need to love someone, to _be_ loved by someone? I despised humans until about a week and a half ago.

Perhaps my change of heart was a result of how Gumshoe and Wright made me feel-- like I was actually _needed_ somewhere; like I made a difference in someone's life. I also realized, while spending time with those two, that I actually needed _them_, as pillars of support-- as my close friends, I suppose you could say --as well.

I needed Maya, perhaps as more than friend, but I would _never_ tell her that.

_I guess some things are better left unsaid, huh?_

That thought lingered with me as I put on my coat and got ready to leave. My hand was on the doorknob when I heard this horrifying scream-- "HEEEEELP!"

I literally jumped, and stumbled abruptly down the hall, knocking into Maya's closed door. I opened it, and saw Maya sitting in her bed, shaking in fear.

"What the hell happened?!" I yelled, rushing to her side.

"I just got this voicemail on my cell phone... from... from... oh...!" Maya whimpered as she buried her face into her blanket. I could only imagine who it was...

"Who?"

"F-Franziska..."

"Oh, Maya..." I hugged her. I seemed to be doing that a lot.

"She said that she was coming to get me, that she would--"

"Wait, what?! She's in _jail_, Maya."

Maya's eyes widened as she whispered, "I don't think she would let that stop her..."

I grabbed the phone out of her quivering hands. I pressed a few buttons and listened to the message skeptically.

_"Hello!? Maya Fey? This is FRANZISKA Von Karma, and I'll have you know that I am NOT going down without a fight-- you'd have to be a fool to think such foolish thoughts! I may have finished your beloved Phoenix Wright off, but I'm not completely finished yet. Oh, no, I still have a few more fools I need to exterminate... one of them being YOU! I'd watch your back if I were you. I'm almost out of here, and once I escape this filthy place, YOU will be my first target, you-- what?!"_

I heard two men yelling in the background.

_"The guards are after me! But, then again, a few guards have never stopped me from-- excuse me, get your hands OFF of me, sir!"_

Although it really wasn't funny, I almost smiled, listening to Franziska being caught trying to escape. I could just see her squirming under the clutches of a few strong police officers.

_"Maya Fey, you have not seen the last of me! I swear I'm going to--" _With that, the message ended.

I looked at Maya, who was looking at me with such a look of terror in her eyes I thought she was going to faint.

"Maya," I smiled, trying to comfort her, "I don't think you ever have to worry about her coming to get you."

"Did we listen to the same message!?"

"If you were listening closely... she was being caputured by a bunch of security guards. I don't think they'll be taking their eyes off her for a while... there's no way she could get to you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I won't let her."

Maya moved over slightly, allowing a little room for me on the bed. I didn't face her, though; I merely sat on the edge and stared into my lap.

"I feel like such a kid, crying over this," she sighed after a long pause, sinking down under the covers and pulling the comforter up to her ears.

I turned around to face her, reluctantly. I was afraid of what I would say...

I tugged at the comforter that hid her face. Her grip was so strong that I almost had to wrestle her in order to get her to let go. Finally, I pulled at it hard enough to reveal her face... her tear-stained face, that is.

"It breaks my heart watching you cry," I admitted, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Edgeworth... I'm just feeling a little paranoid." She quietly added, "Life's been kind of _awful_ lately..."

"I know what you mean..."

"Why does this kind of stuff happen?"

"What kind of... stuff?" As if I even had to ask.

"All of the stuff that's been making life so _awful_. The man I love is dead. There is an insane woman out to get me... that kind of stuff."

"Maya, I... I really don't have an answer to that," I relaxed my head against the headboard. After thinking awhile, I added, "I mean, I do, but it's so hard to justify all that's happened with one simple answer."

"What is that answer?"

"You really wanna know?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Maya. She nodded. Slowly, I said, "Well, I look at it this way... I'm beginning to believe that everything happens for a reason. It's the only answer I can think of that can explain why I've gone through so much trauma throughout my life, and why all _this_ has happened."

"I guess I can see that. So what's the reason?"

"When you came into this city and interrupted my life, it was a real wake-up call. It was the wake-up call that I _desperately_ needed. As much as I wanted to-- needed to, even --I couldn't escape you, or Wright, or Gumshoe, or Franziska. Through Wright's death... I think I've realized what's truly important to me."

"...So what _is_ truly important to you?" Maya questioned quietly.

"Well... making sure I let my closest friends, and everyone important to me, _know_ how much they impact my life... so that I don't make the mistake of losing yet another person I care about."

Maya didn't respond.

"That's why I've been by your side this entire week. If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd--"

"Mr. Edgeworth..."

"I apologize," I sighed. "I kinda started rambling, there."

"I never knew you were such a sensitive guy."

"Me either, to be honest."

By this time, Maya had stopped crying. She sat up, and said, "I think it's really sweet." She rested her head on my shoulder. "You continue to surprise me, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Really?"

"Mmhm."

"...You know, I've been thinking about something."

"And what's that?"

I tried to say something a little more meaningful, but I couldn't find the words. All I could say was, "You don't have to call me 'Mr.' Edgeworth... uhhh. Edgeworth is fine."

_Real smooth._

I think Maya realized how completely awkward I was feeling. She smirked and sniffled simultaneously, "I've always thought _Edgey_ suits you quite nicely."

"...Edgey?"

"Yes, Edgey!" Maya actually laughed.

"Maya, that's the first time you've laughed since..."

She gasped. "You're right..."

"You're past the first stage of the grieving process," I mentioned after a moment.

"... What!?" Maya shot me an insulted look, as if I were questioning the legitimacy of her grieving over Wright.

"Uhm, sorry." Her expression softened. I explained myself, "I meant to say that things can only go uphill from here, if you, um, know what I mean. As hard as it is to believe..."

"So what comes after all this?" Maya asked distantly.

My stomach churned at the thought. "Without Wright... I'm not entirely sure."

That didn't mean I was about to start crying pathetically again-- no, I was beyond that. At that point, it was a matter of acceptance, and trying to force myself to act normally again.

Not that I ever was "normal" in the first place. I've been an emotional wreck ever since age nine, when I watched my father die-- and went fifteen years thinking I was the one who killed him. I thought I was somewhat happy for many years, when I was winning cases with the help of false evidence.

My sense of happiness has, and always will be, slightly distorted.

By acting "normally", I meant being able to keep my melodramatic thoughts to myself, to hide my nightmares, and to be able to present myself as a stable person-- a moderately stable person, at least.

Come to think about it, I wasn't sure if I would ever be my "normal", _usual_ self again. My life turned upside down in a matter of days. Four years ago, I thought I was going to live the stable life I'd always dreamed of; I thought I'd left behind everything that _made_ me unstable-- and I couldn't have been more wrong. And, in all honesty, I _liked_ the unstable feelings that I had around Wright, Maya, and Gumshoe-- really, they weren't _unstable_ feelings so much as they were the normal ups and downs of human relationships.

Everything was slowly coming around full-circle. As for what was _coming_, though... I couldn't exactly tell.

"Edgey?" Maya poked me in the shoulder.

"Huh? Oh... what's next," I shook my head, bringing myself back into reality. "Well, are you going to stay here?"

"I have no idea. I don't have a job to pay for all this... Gumshoe was only helping us move in. He had to go back out wests, so I'm pretty much stuck..."

"That's right," I sympathized. I was trying to suppress the words from my mouth, but they came out anyway. I blurted, "You know, there's an extra room in my apartment--"

"Umm..."

"Sorry. That was sort of forward... I just don't want to see you _suffer_ anymore."

"You're too thoughtful. You'd really do that for me? Because I don't think there'd be enough room..."

"No, there's plenty... Besides, I'm beginning to realize how important it is to _make_ room for the people that matter most to me."

Maya gave me a look as if she were really considering my offer.

"Just until you find your own place, if you want," I added.

"It's very tempting," she yawned, "But I'll sleep on it. I'm exhausted. Good night."

"All right," I got up from the bed. I looked down at Maya, who had already closed her eyes, and said goodnight.

_What a night..._

I closed the door behind me and walked into the kitchen. Not knowing what to do with myself, I turned on the dim overhead lamp and sat down at the table.

I had to do something. Actually, I had to vent... to _write_. More importantly, I needed some closure.

It'd been too long since I'd expressed my thoughts on paper. I was amazed by the fact that I hadn't been fired for cutting off all contact with my boss for a couple weeks, really.

I searched for a pad of paper, and found one in a drawer by the telephone. I picked up a pen hiding underneath the stacks of papers shoved into the drawers, and sat back down.

The words I scribbled onto the page were barely legible-- _True Friendship, by Miles Edgeworth_.

Not to mention the fact that they were godawful. I scratched out those words and tried again.

Nothing inspirational, or moving in the slightest bit, came to mind. I was suffering from a severe case of writer's block.

I tried to think of what had inspired me to pick up that pen in the first place.

_It was the conversation I just had with Maya, the time I spent with her yesterday, and the day before that, and what's happened over past few--_

_Wait a minute..._

"Oh, I believe in yesterday..." I sang quietly.

_That's just it!_

Humming the last few notes of a song that'd been playing in my mind for quite some time, I scrawled out a title: _Yesterday_.

Immediately, I began writing.

_Big, fat raindrops pelted against the window. Someone once said that the sound of rain is soothing-- that it makes one fall asleep. I, personally, find it to be distracting. It was three o'clock in the morning... one of those nights where, as tired as a person is, they just can't seem to fall asleep because of something on their mind._

I guess things would never be the same after the death of my closest friend. How could they be? I felt as if I was an entirely new person... for better or for worse.

It would, of course, take a while to work out the kinks in my flawed personality...

But I wasn't afraid of this daunting task. It was something I was willing to work on... together, with Maya, and everyone else I had so coldly abandoned four years ago.

With a newly-found energy, I got back to work.

_That night, something was definitely on my mind..._


End file.
